Huge volcano eruption kills 49, over 1 mln seek shelters, in Indonesia

Mount Merapi volcano erupts spewing out towering clouds of hot gas and debris as seen from Wukirsari village in Sleman, near the ancient city of Yogyakarta, November 4, 2010.

A volcano in Central Java of Indonesia re-erupted earlier Friday, the biggest since Oct. 26, killing at least 49 people and injuring seriously 66 others, leading the authorities to extend risky zone to 20 km amid over 1 million people have sough shelters, officials said.

Mount Merapi of 2,968 meters high, erupted again for three hours, starting from at about 12:00 a.m. Jakarta time Friday (1700 GMT Thursday), unleashing continuously hot ash by up to 8 km high and spreading to all direction, official at Volcanology Agency in Yogyakarta Kurniati Rinekso said.

The agency has extended dangerous zone by five km to 20 km since the eruption, he said.

The volcanic ash spread by up to 45 km, hitting nearby cities, including Yogyakarta. At least five houses in Argo Mulyo village of Sleman regency were burned by the hot ash, several people got burn injury, rescuer told Xinhua.

Press officer DR Sardjito General Hospital in Yogyakarta Susan Ananti said that 49 people were killed and 66 other who got serious injury were being treated in hospital.

Ambulance kept coming into the hospital and carrying death body and the injured people to hospital.


Source: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7189447.html