VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 19 - Mount Merapi, straddling Yogyakarta and Central Java, erupted 20 times on Friday, spewing searing lava that flowed nearly 1.2 kilometers in the southwest direction based on observation from 00:00 a.m. to 6 a.m. local time.

In addition to the incandescent lava, Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida remarked that Mount Merapi had recorded 43 earthquakes, with an amplitude of 3-30 mm and a duration of 11-137 seconds, and two earthquakes, with an amplitude of 5-15 mm and a duration of 12-18 seconds.

Moderate to thick white crater smoke was observed to bellow as high as 200 meters from the crater's peak, while weather around the mountain was sunny and cloudy.

Weak winds blew to the west, with air temperatures of 13-20 degrees Celsius, humidity of 70-89 percent, and air pressure of 757-916 mmHg.

During the observation on Thursday from 18:00 p.m. to 24:00 p.m. local time, Mount Merapi released incandescent lava 25 times as far as one km in the southwest direction.

The BPPTKG continues to maintain the alert status of Mount Merapi at Level III.

Areas in the south to the southwest -- Sungai Kuning, Boyong, Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng, and Putih -- are projected to be affected by Mount Merapi’s lava and hot clouds.

In the meantime, Mount Merapi's volcanic material could flow as far as three kilometers from the mountain's peak. (Antaranews)