Friday, November 5, 2010 Merapi eruption

A much larger and more explosive Merapi eruption occured on 1am, Friday, November 5, 2010 following Thursday eruption. Roaring sound and intensive volcanic tremor was heard and felt since 11pm on Thursday until several blasting sound heard around 12am to 1am. Pyroclastic surges associated with this eruption injures more than 20 people, the number expected to rise. Thick ash, sand and gravel hits nearby city of Yogyakarta, Magelang, Purworejo, Solo and Klaten. The authority expand the exclusion zone to 20km and move all evacuation center that were located in Sleman regency to Maguwoharjo stadium, located 30 km from the volcano.

Update: as released in November 15, the total causalities reaches 275. Currently as in December 1st, Merapi remains relatively calmed, the forbidden zone narrowed done to 15 km. However, the accumulation of volcanic material at the upper slope creates laharic flow hazard to the down-slope regions of Yogyakarta city. Many bridges and settlement damaged due to heavy rain in the past several day that followed by massive laharic flows. People lives near the banks of the river that comes from Merapi drainage system are advised to remain vigilant, especially during heavy rainfall.

Update: on December 3, 2010 the Volcanology Center of Indonesia lower the alert level of Merapi from its highest degree to the third level (alert level code chart)

Latest Merapi eruption, Thursday-November 4, 2010, the largest eruption over the past eight days

Merapi volcano spewed clouds of hot ash and lava in a violent explosive eruption on Thursday, November 4, 2010 around 6am . The eruption column reaches 4000 meters heights. It was the largest in a series of eruptions over the past eight days. There were no reports of new casualties. Forty two causalities recorded since the beginning of eruption in October 26, 2010 (updated as in Thursday, November 4, 2010).

Almost 80,000 people have been forced from their homes by the recent eruption into emergency shelters outside a 10 km exclusion zone around the volcano. On Wednesday, November 3, 2010, the authorities extended the radius of the zone to more than 15 km, ordering evacuations that could affect at least 100,000 people.

Figure caption: the latest Merapi eruption as seen from Yogyakarta city that located 25 km from the volcano. The picture was taken on 6 am, Thursday, November 4, 2010. The eruption column reaches 4000 meters height. (Photo courtesy of Reza Muzzamil Jufri)