An AP video report here in German reports on the biggest Merapi eruption in 100 years, and what potentially lurks.
More than 122 people have been killed thus far as the volcano continues to blast clouds of ash into the atmosphere. Over 200,000 people have been evacuated from the area so far. Experts are uneasy. At the 3o sec. mark, the AP video reports:
In the meantime, speculation of a possible gigantic eruption is making the rounds. Although Merapi does not show it, there’s a risk of a mega-eruption at any time. A collapse of the mountain could cause movement of the huge magma reserve underneath. If the heavy rock mass above it were to disintegrate, the magma would be freed and could be blown out. But no expert wanted to make an exact prognosis.
As reported earlier here at this blog, experts estimate that a reservoir of magma three times the size of what was ejected by the mighty Tambora eruption of 1815 remains trapped under immense pressure underneath Merapi. Tambora had a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 7 and led to global cooling, the year without a summer.
For now, it’s wait and see with Merapi.
————————————————————————————————————
The following video shows what kind of ticking “time bombs with hidden timers” that lurk beneath us.
This really is a normal eruption, there is nothing unusual about it.
Blowing everything out of proportion in an alarmist way is typical of any press nowadays.
http://www.volcanolive.com/marapi.html
http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=0603-25=
There has been 2 VEI 7 eruptions during the past 2000 years.
Merapi is not going to be one of them.
http://bigthink.com/ideas/24861
R. De Han,
We dont know, volcanoes can be unpredictable, I think that it very well could happen. Merapi just could be one of these VEI 7 eruptions. Don’t Assume it wont happen, there is always a lull before the storm, activity calmed at Mount St Helens before it blew on 5/18/1980. The Eruptions at Merapi are getting increasingly violent over the weekend.
– Thorvaldur Thordarson, an expert on Icelandic volcanoes at the University of Edinburgh, UK: “Get ready for decades of Icelandic fireworks”…
– Immanuel Velikovsky, Worlds in Collision: Volcanoes activation 3600 years ago-PLANET X: “Two celestial bodies have been attracted one to each other. The inner masses of the Earth were pushed to the periphery.The Earth with its rotation movement disturbed, started to warm … many tradition around the world describe the way the surface of the Earth entered into a fusion process and the sea started to boil… The Earth exploded and the lava started to spread around … The sacred Mexican book… the Troano Manuscript… The Bible… the mountains trembled, clouds and thick darkness … fire … the Earth trembled (Psalms 46: 3 – 6) … The star Tistrye (Planet X – A/N) made the sea to boil”:
http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2010/04/get-ready-for-decades-of-icelandic.html
@Stevonga90
“We dont know, volcanoes can be unpredictable”
I agree but not Merapi.
The vent is open so no excessive pressure build up is possible at this moment in time as was the case with Mount St. Hellens.
There is no expansion of the volcano dome and current activity is already dimming down.
Mount Vesuvius poses a risk because the vent is currently blocked by a basalt plug formed after the last erupion.
A VEI 7, 8 or even 9 event will happen in the future but the odds are really extremely small that such an eruption will happen in our times.
@ Dan
This is a totally disturbed theory only available at Christianguru sites.
Total denial of evolution but absolutely no restraint in serving the world with alarmist BS stories that scare the hell out of the “believers”.
Busan volcano at the Philippines has entered a eruptive phase.
The Goverment has decided to evacuate 80.000 people.
http://www.focus.de/panorama/welt/vulkane-vulkan-auf-philippinen-spuckt-erneut-asche_aid_570225.html
And more volcano’s active right now including Chaitén
http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/
http://rarereaders.seablogger.com/2010/11/chaiten-still-building-its-dome/
Update:
Wednesday 10th November 2010
Merapi Volcano, Indonesia
Activity at Merapi volcano, Indonesia remains high. Ash emissions reached a height of 800 m above the crater this morning. Ash deposits fill all river valleys surrounding the volcano. A 20 km radius exclusion zone remains in place. Between midnight and midday today there were 4 volcanic earthquakes and one pyroclastic flow. Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta is expected to reopen for domestic flights on 15th November if ash emissions reduce. Flights to and from Adisucipto have been diverted to Adisumarmo International Airport in Solo and Ahmad Yani Airport in Semarang. The status of Merapi volcano remains at the highest level 4.
http://www.volcanolive.com/news.html
Common mistakes in reporting on volcanic eruptions
http://blogs.agu.org/magmacumlaude/2010/11/09/common-mistakes-in-reporting-on-volcanic-eruptions/
Today: Respite for Indonesia, upswing for the Philippines
http://bigthink.com/ideas/24896