Javanese volcano erupts

Yogyakarta: Indonesia’s most active volcano erupted yesterday, with a river of lava and searing gas clouds flowing 1500m down its slopes.

It was Mt Merapi’s biggest lava flow since authorities raised its danger level in November, the head of Yogyakarta’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre, Hanik Humaida, said.

The alert was being maintained at the secondhighest level and authorities told people to stay out of the existing 5km danger zone around the crater. The 2968m volcano is on the densely populated island of Java and near the ancient city of Yogyakarta. — AP