Lava flowed again with an eruption of an Indonesian volcano: NPR

Indonesian officials are monitoring the country’s most active volcano after it erupted again on Saturday morning, sending hot clouds of ash into the air, sending lava down the side of the mountain.

Ash plumes shot more than 600 feet into the air as volcanic debris spilled onto the slopes of Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta on the densely populated Indonesian island of Java, about 250 miles east of Jakarta. The name “Merapi” is loosely translated as “Mountain of Fire”.

The volcano erupted at least eight times in hot clouds of ash, sending several lava flows down its slopes. Depending To the Indonesia Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation. No injuries were reported, but local officials warned of further activity in the future. The volcano erupted regularly for hundreds of years.

Based on observations of the volcano starting in early November, “It is concluded that the volcanic activity of Mount Merapi is still very high in the form of volcanic eruptions.” She said Raditya Jati from the Indonesian National Council for Disaster Management. “Clear” eruptions are those in which lava flows steadily on the ground.

But Gati said more catastrophic “explosive” eruptions were still likely, with volcanic material likely to erupt about two miles from the summit. Lava avalanches and hot clouds can reach more than 3 miles to the southwest.

Mining companies have been advised to temporarily suspend work on the river originating in Mount Merapi, and tour operators have been asked to temporarily move away from “potential danger areas and pit openings” 3 miles away.

“Always be aware of the dangers of lava, especially when it rains around Mount Merapi,” said Gati.

The last major volcanic eruption of Mount Merapi in 2010 killed more than 300 people.