Indonesia's volcano re-erupts

JAKARTA, Oct. 29, 2010 (Xinhua) --

Indonesia's volcano in Central Java re-erupted on Friday morning, a Volcanology Agency official said.

Mount Merapi spewed hot ash by up to over two kilometers high and headed to southeastern by up 3.5 kilometers, the official at Merapi monitoring office post in Yogyakarta heru Saparwoko told Xinhua by phone from Yogyakarta province.

"The mount erupted again at 06:10 a.m. local time, followed by the spewing of hot ash," he said.

It was not clear whether the lave was spreaded from the cracker as it was difficult to monitor it on visual, said Saparwoko.

Mount Merapi with 2,968 meters high located in the border of Central Java province and Yogyakarta province started eruption phase on Tuesday and re-erupted on Thursday afternoon.

There have been scores of internal displaced persons return to their homes at the dangerous area on the slope of the mount every morning to feed the reminder of their cattle or to take some of their belonging, authorities at Yogyakarta have told Xinhua.

The eruption has displaced over 40,000 people.

Mount Merapi is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. The Southeast Asian country lies in a quake-prone zone called the Pacific Ring of Fire, and now has 129 active volcanoes.

The previous eruption of Mount Merapi in 2006 killed two people. A 1994 eruption claimed 60 lives. A major eruption in 1930 killed more than 1,000 people.

 Indonesia's volcano victims buried before renewed eruption

by Mulyanda Djohan

SLEMAN, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 28, 2010 (Xinhua) --

Hundreds of people attended a mass funeral of those killed in volcano eruption in Central Java, Indonesia on Thursday.

The 2,968-meter-high Mount Merapi sent out hot volcanic ash again on Thursday afternoon, indicating it remains dangerous after a major eruption on Tuesday left at least 33 people dead and over 40,000 displaced, officials said.

The mass funeral was held in Tangkisan village of Sleman district about seven kilometers from the mount and within the dangerous zone of 10 kilometers from the volcano where the residents have been ordered to evacuate.

It is not far from the grave, seventeen people were killed by hot ash on Tuesday due to ignorance to warning.

An excavator dug a big hole for more than 20 bodies as scores of soldiers assisted the funeral.

On Thursday afternoon hours before the re-eruption, Xinhua journalists reached an area nearly two kilometers from the mount.

Ash covered houses up to the radius of 4.5 kilometers from the volcano, leaves of trees were burnt or turned to grey, some trees fell.

Suddenly, an alarm of hot ash emission triggered panic among some volunteers, making them to rush to vehicles and leave the area quickly.

Hot ash destroys life on slope of volcano in Indonesia

By Mulyanda Djohan

SLEMAN, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Oct. 28, 2010 (Xinhua) --

Hot ash from volcano eruption in Central Java of Indonesia on Tuesday has killed any creatures at the radius of over 4.5 kilometers from the mount in Sleman district of Yogyakarta province.

Human, animal and plant have been burned down by the ash which appeared suddenly in the darkness and cloudy weather, giving small chance for escape.

All tree leaves turn to grey and the stems are burned, some of them fallen, the roofs of houses are still covered by thick ash and so is the ground.

The danger killed 33 people and left dozens of others suffering from respiratory problems, and hundreds of cattle were also killed, worrying the villagers of their livelihood. Over 40,000 other people fled their homes.

Most of the villagers earn money from milking, as the area is favorable for raising cow and goat.

"Twelve of my cows were killed. I do not know how I will raise my children," said Paiman Rosidi, 37 years old.

The high-ground district where the volcano was located has become a domestic tourist resort for decades, with many of the community working for the sector and being paid daily.

The disaster has led the authorities to close the resorts and the villagers live in evacuation centers.

"I do not know how to earn money for our life. Here I got food but I can not make money to finance my children's study in other cities. I am scared if this continues," said Sugiyani who lives in a shelter.

Officials and volunteers buried hundreds of cattle on Thursday and looked for bodies of cattle at the hot-ash-hit area.

"We search for the bodies of goat or cow and we will bring them away for burial," said an official.

"We expect rain will come frequently, so that it could wash away the ash," said Sugiyono, one of the villagers.

Editor: Mu Xuequan