by Mathias Hariyadi

After days of warnings and subsequent recalls, experts confirm the beginning of the eruption A 10 kilometre zone surrounding the crater is declared off limits, but thousands refuse to abandon their homes.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – A pillar of smoke 500 meters high started billowing from the Indonesian volcano Monte Kelud, East Java, early morning.  After a week of warnings and subsequent recalls the beginning of the eruption has been confirmed.

Experts monitoring the crater say they are registering a constant tremor at a height of 1,731 meters, and a sharp rise in temperatures to over 76 degrees Celsius, data indicating an imminent eruption. The situation is expected to become critical over the next few hours.

The provincial government has established the complete evacuation of the entire zone within a ten kilometre radius of the volcano.  On November 3rd, thousands of inhabitants from the villages most at risk - Dawung, Penataran and Modangan – were forced to leave their homes without any warning following increased seismic activity.  Over 350 thousand people live in the area.  Despite the concrete threat and multiple warnings, at least 25 thousand people have refused to abandon their property, crops and livestock.  Superstition has a strong hold over the local population, who believe that if they keep lights off and whisper without using vulgar language, the spirit of the volcano will calm.

• indonesia
• volcano
• eruption
• evacuation