Asia/Indonesia

Indonesia - Disaster Awareness at Mt. Merapi

Mt. Merapi in central Java in Indonesia is one of the world's most active and dangerous volcanoes. It contains an active lava dome which regularly produces pyroclastic flows. Eruptions occur at intervals of 1-5 years. The volcano has produced more pyroclastic flows than any other volcano in the world and is active for 10,000 years.

Merapi volcano began erupting on October 26th 2010. The eruption was the largest at the volcano in 100 years. Ash emissions reached an altitude of 40,000 ft, and 370,000 people were evacuated from a 20 km radius danger zone. Pyroclastic flows and ashfall in 2010 eruption killed more than 190 people.

In 2006, we have been involved in Disaster Awareness at Mt. Merapi and the city of Yogyakarta on Java for the first time.

For the public, we created individual information leaflets in Bahasa Indonesia,
> how to prepare before volcanic eruption occures,
> what to do if an eruption occures and
> what to do after a volcanic eruption.

In October and November 2010 we have been involved again at Mt. Merapi and we evaluated how local population handled the information and knowledge we offered in 2006.