Indonesia on Alert after Mount Merapi Volcano Erupts

Indonesia's disaster management agency said the Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing hot clouds and pyroclastic flows up to 7 km.

Located in the Yogyakarta Special Region, the volcano is among the most active in Indonesia.

The agency warned residents of the vicinity to stop any activity in the danger zone, adding that there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Area parameters range from a radius of 3 to 7 km (4.5 miles) from the crater. The agency posted a video clip on Twitter showing the eruption.

An official at the local monitoring center said in the agency's statement that residents were not immediately evacuated. He added that he would recommend residents evacuate if the volcanic coverage exceeded seven kilometers.

Another officer at the Merapi Observation Center stated that the volcanic ash affected at least eight villages near the volcano.

Mount Merapi is 2,968 meters (9,700 feet) high, about 30 km (18 miles) north of Yogyakarta, the centuries-old seat of royal dynasties.

The 10 km (6 miles) surrounding the volcano is home to about 250,000 people.

The volcano's last major eruption was in 2010 when it killed over 300 people and displaced tens of thousands.

It showed renewed activity in late 2020. Since then, the alert has remained at the second highest level.

Indonesia is home to nearly 130 active volcanoes and sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where continental plates meet, resulting in significant volcanic and seismic activity.