Merapi eruption - June 2006, Indonesia

On Thursday 8 June at 09:03 and 09:38 local time, pyroclastic flows travelled down the west and south flanks of the volcano reaching distances of up to 5 km from the summit. Lava flows also travelled for 1.5 km in the direction of Kali Gendol and Kali Krasak, while a 500 m eruption column led to ash fall in the districts of Srumbung, Dukun and Muntilan in the regency of Magelang¹,². Although a major eruption was expected, at least in some quarters, this never materialised, and the alert level was dropped from Level 3 (large eruption possible within 1 to 2 weeks) to Level 2 (eruption not imminent) on 3 August 2006. Lava flows, rockfalls and gas emissions continue at the volcano as of January 2007³.

¹ ReliefWeb. 2006. Indonesia Yogyakarta Earthquake: Appeal no. MDRID001, Operations Update no. 3: Focus on the Mt. Merapi Volcano.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KKEE-6QLPJL?OpenDocument

² ReliefWeb. 2006. Merapi Erupts on 8 June 2006
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/EKOI-6QL85A?OpenDocument

³ ReliefWeb. 2006. USAID Indonesia Earthquake Fact Sheet #16 (FY 2006)
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/KKEE-6SZQKU?OpenDocument