Mount Merapi’s Ongoing Anger

Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s most unpredictable volcano, has so far caused the death of  153 people. The continuous eruption of the volcano has also displaced close to 350,000 people and even apparently drove off American President Barack Obama. Reports the Obama shortened his trio due to volcanic ash painting a pitiful picture for those affected there in Indonesia.

Most of the residents of cities and villages at the foot of the volcano have now fled for fear of an ever greater eruption. The last instance of major activity occurred on Friday when searing gas and fumes rushed down the mountain at high speed to kill or injure more people caught in the mountain’s path. So far, in this century, Merapi has erupted many times, the death toll having reached more than 1400.

Rescuers have new fears today too that children are still lost after Friday’s eruption – the largest since the late 1800′s. Business, travel, basically everything in this part of Indonesia has been negatively affected by these volcanic and other seismic events there. A layer of ash and soot actually covers everything in the region now. But Merapi is obviously not done with the inhabitants of Indonesia. The video below from AP shows real time footage of Merapi’s violent temper ongoing.

We will keep you appraised as events unfold from Indonesia. We only hope the mountain quiets soon, and lets people there get back to their lives, away from the fear of cataclysm.