Merapi eruption May 11, 2018

At 7:40am on May 11, 2018 an eruption occurred at Merapi volcano. There are no sign of increasing seismic activity leading to the event except a short increase of crater temperature at around 6:00am. Volcanic earthquake that was lasted for around 5 minutes was felt all the way to the Yogyakarta city as the eruption evolved. The eruption producing eruption column that reached elevation of 5500 m through a single phreatic eruption. No subsequent eruption were observed. The plume dispersed to the southeast, mm-thick ashes rained area within 5 km from the summit. Thin layers of ashes reaches all the way to Gadjah Mada University campus that are located 30 km to the south of the summit. No casualties being reported so far.

Link to the official monitoring status: Magma VSI-ESDM

Screenshot of the current status of the volcano (https://magma.vsi.esdm.go.id/vona/display.php?noticenumber=2018MER01)

Various photos captured by residents around the volcano (Disclaimer: these photos were collected through messages and updates posted in various social media and messages platform, some of the photo sources were unclear though the accuracy of locations and time of event has been validated).

Photo: Eruption column as observed from the northern slope of the mountain

Photo : Eruption column as observed from ~20km from the summit

Photo: View of the eruption plume seen from Cepogo traditional market in Boyolali

Photo : Eruption column as observed from Rawapening (35km to the north of the volcano)

Photo: View of the eruption plume seen from near Selo, Boyolali (north of Merapi)

The volcanic earthquake recorded from the BPPTK Merapi (source photo: BPPTK)

Ash dispersion pattern as observed by Himawari weather satellite (BMKG)

Video captured by hiker from hike post of Pasar Bubrah near summit area

Video captured by hiker from hike post of Pasar Bubrah near summit area