Volcano
www.physorg.com/news69513298.html
Indonesia contains more active volcanoes than any country on Earth, including Mount Merapi. This volcano is situated above the subduction zone between the Eurasian and Indo-Australian tectonic plates. Mt. Merapi is a stratovolcano with steep upper slopes, and viscous magma, lending itself to produce powerful eruptions with plumes of ash reaching heights of 45 kilometers. The Merapi volcano is considered a “decade” volcano because of its frequent eruptions in the past century, averaging one eruption every three years. Several of its eruptions have killed hundreds within the past fifteen years. This volcano has a possibility of threatening thousands of Indonesians that live in small crowed farming villages. Although there is a forbidden zone, seventy thousand people continue to live within the second danger zone- up to thirty-five kilometers southwest of the volcano. Four major potential hazards face the people of java in the event of an eruption. Lava flows burn or bury everything they come across, run over houses, roads, and any other structures and may start fires. Volcanic ash is exploded from a vent, posing a problem for building integrity due to the heavy weight of the ash. Pyroclastic flows travel very quickly down the volcano slope, destroying everything in their path. Remaining ash deposits (lahars) may become mobile with a large rain event. It is inevitable that Merapi will erupt in the near future. Currently, the Javanese citizens are not well prepared and need improved evacuation plans. More lahar dams, quicker evacuations and better education of the people will help save lives.