Hundreds evacuated as Indonesia's Merapi threatens to erupt
Indonesian authorities evacuated a huge selection of residents living near to the country's most active volcano after raising the alert level earlier this week.A lot more than 600 people in vulnerable groups like the elderly, women that are pregnant and children, in addition to those with disabilities, were evacuated on Saturday, the National Disaster Management Agency said in a statement, reports Bloomberg.The evacuation process was completed according to health protocols with people necessary to wear masks and maintain a safe distance. All evacuees had to endure Covid-19 rapid tests and record their health issues before entering shelters.
Indonesia's geological disaster agency raised Mount Merapi's alert status on Thursday to the second-highest level because of increased volcanic activity. The agency warned of potential dangers such as lava avalanches and hot gas clouds that could travel so far as 5km if an explosive eruption occurred. Mount Merapi has been active and has erupted regularly since 1548. Its last major eruption this year 2010 killed a lot more than 300 people. Indonesia, a vast archipelago with a population of 270 million, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity as the nation sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire."
