A must-visit destination and a major hiking trail in Indonesia, Mount Merapi erupted on March 11 bringing tourism in the area to a halt.
Mount Merapi, which literally translates to ‘mountain of fire’ is one of the most active volcanoes in the country. It erupted over the weekend and spewed lava which travelled up to 1.5 kilometres along with clouds of hot ash travelling seven km blanketing the nearby village according to the country’s disaster management agency, reports Reuters. As a result of this, all the tourist activities in the area were stopped.
Mount Merapi, the stratovolcano is located on the border between the Central Java province and the special region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia. The area sees a massive tourist footfall as the volcano is one of the go-to destinations for thrill-seekers.
Off-roading in the area also became one of the main attractions after the massive eruption in 2010. Other famous activities include a six-hour long volcano hike, lava tour, sandboarding and a jeep safari covering the vicinity. All these adventure activities have come to a standstill at the moment. However, other tourist attractions around the area and flights are unaffected by the eruption.
According to a local Indonesian news organisation, Tempo.co, Agus Pandu Purnama, the General Manager of the Yogyakarta International airport confirmed that both domestic and international flights have not been affected by the incident. In addition, the largest Buddhist temple in the world and a major tourist spot, Borobudur Temple in Magelang in Central Java is still open to visitors.
As a precautionary measure, natives who reside within a seven km radius of the volcano have been asked to not continue any activities that involve going into the danger zone. No casualties have been reported but according to Hanik Humaida, the head of Yogyakarta’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre, this was the biggest lava flow since authorities raised the alert level to the second-highest in November 2020, reported AP.
Here’s a look at the Mount Merapi eruption
Several people and news organisations also took to Twitter to share clips of Mount Merapi spewing hot lava, have a look:
VIDEO: Tourists flee from the foot of Indonesia’s Mount Merapi on four-wheel drive vehicles as the volcano, one of the most active ones in the archipelago, erupts. pic.twitter.com/6hIeI5UWDO
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 13, 2023
Indonesia’s Mount Merapi spewed smoke and ash more than 4 miles high. Residents in a nearby community were warned to stay away from danger zones https://t.co/8SmYiCQVXT pic.twitter.com/BoWNh66tVB
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 11, 2023
Indonesia’s most-active volcano Mount Merapi erupted on March 11, sending lava flowing 7 km down its slopes, covering several villages. pic.twitter.com/D4yXwoKsEs
— South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) March 14, 2023
Mount Merapi erupted on the island of Java in Indonesia. Lava flows have already spread to a distance of 1.5 km and a cloud of smoke up rose 7 km into the sky. pic.twitter.com/d1gG4mOjwV
— Ben Proj (@ben_proj) March 11, 2023
🌋- Sur l’île de #Java en #Indonésie, l’éruption du #volcan #Merapi est spectaculaire et inquiétant. Un nuage de fumée atteignant 7 km de haut s’est élevé dans le ciel et des coulées de lave se sont propagées
sur 1,5 km…🫢#MountMerapi#volcano #meteo #Weather #Vulcano pic.twitter.com/h4GDv4W0Qq— Croc 🍥 (@CrocLeReporteur) March 13, 2023
Hero and feature image credit: Shutterstock
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: Mount Merapi is located at the border of Central Java province and the Special Region of Yogyakarta.
Answer: It is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia.
Answer: Yes, Indonesia is in the Ring of Fire and Mount Merapi is a part of the series of active volcanoes that come under the Ring of Fire.
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