Indonesia's Mt. Merapi erupts twice

Indonesia's most active volcano Mount Merapi erupted twice on March 22, spewing hot clouds as far as 1,500 meters to the southwest, according to the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Centre.

The centre's head Hanik Humaida said the first eruption occurred at 2:03 am (local time) for 134 seconds with an amplitude of 40 mm. The first hot clouds rolled up to 1,300 meters to the southwest. The second came at 5:11 am for 150 seconds with an amplitude of 48 mm, belching ash clouds as far as 1,500 meters to the southwest.

Besides, during 00:00 to 6:00 am, Merapi also released incandescent lava five times as far as 1,000 meters to the southwest.

"Currently, the activity of Mount Merapi is still at the third-highest level," added Humaida.

Areas which are potentially dangerous are several rivers where lava and hot clouds are flowing in the south-southwest sector such as the Kuning, Boyong, Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng, and Putih Rivers, as well as Gendol River in the southeast side.

Indonesian authorities urged residents or tourists not to move to these dangerous areas.

Located in borders of Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, the volcano's violent eruption killed more than 200 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes in 2010./.

VNA