Debris rolls down Merapi
Mount Merapi continued to send avalanches of searing hot gas and debris rolling down its scorched slopes on Sunday.
The 9,700-foot volcano has been at a near-continuous state of high alert for seven weeks.
This had forced the evacuation of thousands of villagers in a government designated danger zone.
The government ordered the evacuation of all residents living within seven km of the peak.
However, it said it cannot force them to leave or prevent villagers from returning to check their houses and crops.
Two people died last week when hot gas travelled down the mountain on Wednesday.
Searing gas clouds killed more than 60 villagers in 1994 and more than 1,300 people died in a major eruption in 1930. (AP)
July 7th, 2006 at 4:02 pm
i was at Jogja from 8-15 June 2006 under a relief group, Global Peace Mission from Malaysia. I was at Jogja a month earlier on holiday and the disaster causing much grief to the people of Jogja made me come back. I was stationed to Deles Indah at Merapi to help with the Merapi victims wherelse my friends were at Jogja and Klaten helping with the earthquake victims. I went on Mobile at a few posts including Post Kesihatan Dompol, Post Kesihatan Manisrenggo and Post Kesihatan Jateng.
I also go the oppotunity to observe the magnificent Merapi Mountaian releasing its hot lava, hot cloud and ashes causing ash rain. I was at Sleman and Mutilan.
I saw the people of Merapi in grief and stress due to prolonged threat of Merapi eruption causing them to stay at the posts during the night and had to return home to tend their life stocks and crops.
We just hope the world will not forget the Merapi inhabitants and just stay focus on the earthquake victims of Jogja.
May God give us his guidance.