Saturday, April 29, 2006
A few facts about Mount Merapi!
Indonesia's Merapi volcano has been spewing thick smoke for more than a week and volcanologists say it may erupt soon.
Following are five facts about the volcano:
- Gunung Merapi, or Fiery Mountain, located in central Java overlooking the ancient royal city of Yogyakarta, is the most active volcano in Indonesia.
- Merapi has been witnessing small eruptions every two or three years, bigger ones every 10-15 years, and very large ones every 50-60 years.
- The biggest eruptions occurred in 1006, 1786, 1822, 1872 and 1930. The eruption of 1006 was so bad a Hindu kingdom was apparently destroyed while in 1930 more than 1,300 people were killed. The 1994 eruption claimed more than 60 lives.
- The 3,000-metre (9,800-ft) volcano is considered sacred by local people who believe a supernatural kingdom exists atop Merapi. Every year a priest climbs to the top to make an offering.
- Indonesia has the world's highest density of volcanoes and is located in the so-called 'Ring of Fire', a vast zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions looping around the Pacific Ocean and including Japan. Of these, 128 are active and 65 listed as dangerous.
Following are five facts about the volcano:
- Gunung Merapi, or Fiery Mountain, located in central Java overlooking the ancient royal city of Yogyakarta, is the most active volcano in Indonesia.
- Merapi has been witnessing small eruptions every two or three years, bigger ones every 10-15 years, and very large ones every 50-60 years.
- The biggest eruptions occurred in 1006, 1786, 1822, 1872 and 1930. The eruption of 1006 was so bad a Hindu kingdom was apparently destroyed while in 1930 more than 1,300 people were killed. The 1994 eruption claimed more than 60 lives.
- The 3,000-metre (9,800-ft) volcano is considered sacred by local people who believe a supernatural kingdom exists atop Merapi. Every year a priest climbs to the top to make an offering.
- Indonesia has the world's highest density of volcanoes and is located in the so-called 'Ring of Fire', a vast zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions looping around the Pacific Ocean and including Japan. Of these, 128 are active and 65 listed as dangerous.
# posted by kevin : 12:25 AM
