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Posted
  • Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
  • Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

http://bigthink.com/ideas/24670

Merapi erupts on a tragic day for Indonesia

Posted Image

Erik Klemetti on October 26, 2010, 9:12 AM The signs were all there that Merapi was headed towards a new eruptive phase and today at ~6 PM (local time in Indonesia), Merapi erupted. This is a double (possibly triple) whammy for Indonesia that is suffering after a M7.7 earthquake off Sumatra that generated a tsunami as well. The Indonesia government has their work cut out for them as they try to evacuate over 50,000 people from the slopes and nearby region around Merapi.

The eruption of Merapi today produced three large explosions and an eruption column that has reached at like 1,500 meters / 5,000 feet. Volcanologists in the area seem to think this means that juvenile material (new magma) has made it to the surface and the eruption has begun. Suruno from the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency has already called the explosions that have occurred as bigger than anything that happened during the 2006 eruption of the volcano. There have been no reports of fatalities in this new eruption, but there are some injuries due to ash fall.

Information out of Indonesia is going to be slow today with the widespread damage from the earthquake near Sumatra and the eruption at Merapi. I'll keep posting updates as the day goes on - but feel free to leave comments or links below. You can try the Merapi webcam, but at the time of writing, it appears to be down.

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Posted
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

BBC article & video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11631840

A baby has died from inhaling the ash :(http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/10/26/merapi-dust-killed-baby.html

Edited by LadyPakal
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Posted
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Posted
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

More Merapi information from here: http://bigthink.com/ideas/24693

The brief news on Merapi is bad - pyroclastic flows have killed at least 28 people who didn't get a chance to escape. This is consistent with the reports of burns on many of the victims - the seering gas and ash from the pyroclastic flows will do that, even if you're on the periphery of the flow (if you're in the middle, you're dead). From what I've read, the pyroclastic flows were generated by a dome collapse at the summit crater and funneled down the channels on the south side of the volcano. Much of the area and many homes have been covered in ash as well. There is video of the destruction as well, but be warned, it is graphic. It is also hard to believe that people are already trying to return to their homes on the volcano. Reports today suggest Merapi has settled down some, but is still highly danger - for more details check out the comments from Eruptions readers on the previous Merapi post.

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Posted
  • Location: Isle of Lewis
  • Weather Preferences: Sun in summer, snow in winter, wind in Autumn and rainbows in the spring!
  • Location: Isle of Lewis

what a horrible way to go. At least it isnt a pinatubu

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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

The main two ways Pyroclastic flows are generated are dome collapse as in Merapi and Montserrat. Or from the collapse of the eruption column. Good example of that is Vesuvius AD79.

Although Pyroclastic flows tend too follow valleys there are times when the upper part of the flow becomes detached and then flow over ridges.

Pyroclastic flows can also travel quite well over water as happened in 1883 Krakatua and Taal in the Philippines. The Taal 1965/66 eruption was mainly base surges due to interaction of the lake and the vent and subsequent collapse of the eruption column.

More info here http://www.volcano.si.edu/education/tpgallery.cfm?category=Pyroclastic%20Flows

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Posted
  • Location: Leeds/Bradford border, 185 metres above sea level, around 600 feet
  • Location: Leeds/Bradford border, 185 metres above sea level, around 600 feet

what a horrible way to go. At least it isnt a pinatubu

While it probably won't go to the scale of Pinatubo, there is likely to be a much bigger eruption especially given that its system likely extends to the sea. In my opinion and given the history of Indonesian volcanoes, within the next month she will blow, and given that this initial eruption seems to be VEI3/4, it is likely to be a big one.

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Posted
  • Location: Bethnal Green
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and Cold
  • Location: Bethnal Green

While it probably won't go to the scale of Pinatubo, there is likely to be a much bigger eruption especially given that its system likely extends to the sea. In my opinion and given the history of Indonesian volcanoes, within the next month she will blow, and given that this initial eruption seems to be VEI3/4, it is likely to be a big one.

Where are the VEI scales estimates from?

I haven't been following this closely but from what I've seen I would have thought it was more like a 2 for the current activity with a probable follow-up at some point measuring a 4.

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Posted
  • Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex (work in Mid Sussex)
  • Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex (work in Mid Sussex)

In Indonesia a mass burial is being held for many of those who died when Mount Merapi erupted in central Java.

Thirty-two people were killed when the country's most volatile volcano shot out clouds of searing ash and gas on Tuesday evening. Vulcanologists say activity at the mountain has reduced since the eruption. But tens of thousands of residents remain in temporary shelters as officials urged them not to go home. "The volcano has been relatively calm. Its activity has slowed down since the eruption. We have to evaluate its activity in the coming days," said vulcanologist Subandrio, who goes by one name.

www.bbc.co.uk/news
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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

Merapi erupted again today.

I'm not sure about the comments that this eruption is not normal for Merapi although I may be confusing it with another volcano which has a very similar name. I always thought this volcano tended produce lava domes which tend to be explosive.

Okay doke a few googles and yes the eruptions produced tend to be fairly weak due to the gas content being low. However these Eruptions still produce pryoclastic flows and the Volcano has produced more than any other volcano in the world.

A recent report suggests that the volcano was more explosive in the 19th century and that the volcano could soon return to more violent eruptions. http://www.volcanolive.com/merapi.html

So in short it isn't doing anything really different at all really.

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Posted
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.

Apparently, Sheveluch in Kamkatcha has erupted again, although Kvert can't get many details because of the remoteness and cloud cover. The nearest major town, about 50 miles away, has suffered ashfall, though.

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Posted
  • Location: Cheddar Valley, 20mtrs asl
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and lots of it or warm and sunny, no mediocre dross
  • Location: Cheddar Valley, 20mtrs asl
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Posted
  • Location: Leeds/Bradford border, 185 metres above sea level, around 600 feet
  • Location: Leeds/Bradford border, 185 metres above sea level, around 600 feet

Where are the VEI scales estimates from?

I haven't been following this closely but from what I've seen I would have thought it was more like a 2 for the current activity with a probable follow-up at some point measuring a 4.

I estimated from my own understanding, i doubt anybody has officially declared the VEI scale of the eruption yet. As a rule of thumb, VEI1/2 eruptions are primarily lava based, and VEI3/4 contain pyrochlastic flows, this sounds to me like a VEI3 eruption.

Does sound like a pretty big eruption in Russia.

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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
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Posted
  • Location: Crossgates, Leeds. 76m ASL
  • Weather Preferences: Temperatures ≤25ºC ≥10ºC.
  • Location: Crossgates, Leeds. 76m ASL

Recent news regarding ash fall in Yogyakarta:

The situation in the city of Yogyakarta ahead of the dawn does look busy. Thousands of residents still looks crowded the number of points in the city center. Even so, reported the rain of ash and sand that kept pouring since around 0200 GMT before, are now gradually subsided.

Also, volcanic ash and sand leaving a remarkable scene that has never happened before. Yogyakarta city is dominated by gray, the color typical of volcanic ash that descend all the objects in the city of Yogyakarta.

Both the roof of the house, cars, roads, and other visible objects obscured by dust which reaches thicknesses up to one centimeter.

Not only that, the exodus of residents to leave the City of Gudeg also had apparent. A number of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and refueling station looks crowded by people who reasonably prepare to go out of town.

What worries me is that people started to return to the mountain, checking on their livestock and property. I hope this new eruption hasn't claimed many more lives. From what the comments on Big Think say, the eruption sounds big, compared to what has happened recently. It also happened during the night so that's why there's no report on how high the ash plume went this time.

Truly worrying.

Merapi webcam (needs cleaning): http://merapi.bgl.esdm.go.id/view-r.php?id=1

Further afield, there's long-term concern over Iceland in regards to it's 135 year volcano cycle. The current cycle aims to peak in 2020-2040 and activity is increasing, linked to the Mid Atlantic Ridge waking up. I'm no expert though...

If you want to keep an eye on things Katla, Grimsvotn and the rest....this blog is interesting:

http://www.jonfr.com/volcano/

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Posted
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.
  • Location: Lower Brynamman, nr Ammanford, 160-170m a.s.l.

Sadly, I fear the toll of deaths from Merapi will continue to rise, mainly of people who refused to leave and those who went back, all of whom worried about their crops, livestock or robbery.

Edited by crepuscular ray
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Posted
  • Location: Lochgelly - Highest town in Fife at 150m ASL.
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and cold. Enjoy all extremes though.
  • Location: Lochgelly - Highest town in Fife at 150m ASL.

I take it that this link is referring to Krakatoa? This too is very worrying.

http://2012realorfiction.blogspot.com/

This link is an interesting read about the catastrophic Krakatoa event in 1883:

http://www.earlham.edu/~bubbmi/krakatoa.htm

Edited by Blitzen
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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

As I posted yesterday Merapi isn't really doing anything different. http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/1994/94_11_25.html

Link to old dome eruption pictures http://www.merapi.bgl.esdm.go.id/galeri.php?page=galeri&subpage=gambar

Hopefully the latest eruptions will encourage people to run the other way.

This eruption for me is interesting as rather than dome extrusion we've got a lava flow. New extrusions of magma can also undermine old domes and cause collapse with a resulting large pyroclastic flow. If the old dome is undermined or just collapses due the extra stresses of this present eruption expect a bigger pyroclastic flow.

A recent eruption of Mayon in the Philippines changed from dome building to more fluid lava flows raising fears of large dome collapse as the base of the dome was eroded. It didn't happen but it was one real possibility.

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Posted
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

I take it that this link is referring to Krakatoa? This too is very worrying.

Krakatoa was destroyed when it went bang. The new one building in the crater is named Anak Krakatau - (meaning son of Krakatoa)

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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

I take it that this link is referring to Krakatoa? This too is very worrying.

http://2012realorfiction.blogspot.com/

This link is an interesting read about the catastrophic Krakatoa event in 1883:

http://www.earlham.edu/~bubbmi/krakatoa.htm

Anak Krakatua is busy rebuilding the island. Projected collapse zones suggests these will occur away from populated areas so tidal waves and pyroclastic flows with go west and south west unlike last time. However volcano's like surprises so who really knows. At the moment I wouldn't expect a huge eruption as there hasn't been a long period of quite.

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Posted
  • Location: Lochgelly - Highest town in Fife at 150m ASL.
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and cold. Enjoy all extremes though.
  • Location: Lochgelly - Highest town in Fife at 150m ASL.

Anak Krakatua is busy rebuilding the island. Projected collapse zones suggests these will occur away from populated areas so tidal waves and pyroclastic flows with go west and south west unlike last time. However volcano's like surprises so who really knows. At the moment I wouldn't expect a huge eruption as there hasn't been a long period of quite.

Thanks Lady P and Pit. Have taken time to read the Krakatoa link properly and understand now. With 8 volcanoes in the area on alert 11 status, is this what usually happens? Or is this situation uncommon?
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Posted
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield
  • Weather Preferences: Any Extreme
  • Location: Sheffield South Yorkshire 160M Powering the Sheffield Shield

Thanks Lady P and Pit. Have taken time to read the Krakatoa link properly and understand now. With 8 volcanoes in the area on alert 11 status, is this what usually happens? Or is this situation uncommon?

Got to admit I don't know what the alert level normally is however if it was really strange we would be warned.

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Posted
  • Location: Lochgelly - Highest town in Fife at 150m ASL.
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and cold. Enjoy all extremes though.
  • Location: Lochgelly - Highest town in Fife at 150m ASL.

Got to admit I don't know what the alert level normally is however if it was really strange we would be warned.

It's not so much the alert level I was referring to more so the number of volcanoes in the area under caution status? Wondered if this was uncommon.
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Posted
  • Location: Whaley Bridge - Peak District
  • Location: Whaley Bridge - Peak District

Few hours ago a glacier flood started from Grímsvötnum. But it was only confirmed few moments ago. The flood noise can be seen on following SIL stations around Vatnajökull.

This glacier flood is expected to reach it’s peak in about 4 to 5 days. If this is a repeat of the year 2004 events a eruption should start in Grímsfjalli in about 1 to 4 days from now. But if that plays out exacly like the year 2004 eruption remains to be seen.

http://www.jonfr.com/volcano/

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