Hundreds evacuate as Merapi erupts

Time to flee: A resident riding his motorcycle away from Mount Merapi as it spews volcanic materials in the background, seen from Cangkringan village in Sleman, Yogyakarta. — AP

Merapi volcano erupted overnight, sending hot lava and ash down its slopes and prompting over 250 residents in the surrounding area to evacuate, the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said.

Merapi spewed hot clouds – a mixture of ash and volcanic materials – that flowed 5km down its slopes between near midnight and 2am local time yesterday, Indonesia’s geological agency said on Twitter.