Mount Merapi

Mount Merapi is an active stratovolcano located on the border between Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Known as "Fire Mountain," it is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted regularly since 1548. The volcano is about 28 km north of Yogyakarta city, which is home to millions of people. Many villages and thousands of people live on the slopes of Merapi, even as high as 1,700 meters above sea level.

Smoke often rises from the mountaintop, and several eruptions have been dangerous. In 1994, a pyroclastic flow from a large explosion caused the deaths of 27 people. Another big eruption happened in 2006, just before a major earthquake. Because of the risks it poses to nearby populated areas, Merapi was named one of the Decade Volcanoes, meaning scientists study it closely due to its history of powerful eruptions.

On October 25, 2010, Merapi erupted on its southern and southeastern slopes. Over the next month, 353 people were killed, and 350,000 had to leave their homes. Most of the damage was caused by pyroclastic flows, and heavy rain on November 4 created lahars that caused more damage. By November 30, most of the eruptions had stopped, and the threat level was lowered a few days later. The eruption changed Merapi's shape, lowering its height by 38 meters to 2,930 meters.

Since 2010, Merapi has had several smaller eruptions. Notable ones occurred on November 18, 2013, and May 11, 2018. These eruptions, caused by rainfall and internal activity, produced smoke rising up to 2,000 meters. Small eruptions continue to occur, keeping scientists very interested in studying the volcano.

Etymology

The name Merapi comes from two words. The first part, Meru, is a Sanskrit word meaning "mountain". The second part, api, is a Javanese word meaning "fire". So, Merapi can be thought of as "Mountain of Fire" or "Fire Mountain".

One idea suggests that the name Merapi might also come from an old form of the Malay language. In this older language, api (fire) was combined with a prefix mər-. This prefix is thought to be related to the modern Malay and Indonesian word ber-. If this is true, then Merapi could also relate to the words for "spewing out fire" when combined with "mountain", which in modern language means "volcano". This idea also connects to the name of another volcano, Mount Marapi, located in West Sumatra.

History

Geological history

Merapi is the youngest volcano in a group in southern Java. It sits where the Indo-Australian plate moves under the Sunda plate. It is one of more than 100 active volcanoes in Indonesia and lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Eruptions in the Merapi area started about 400,000 years ago. For a long time, the lava flows were gentle. But over time, the eruptions became more powerful, creating thick lava and dangerous flows of hot rock and gas.

Small eruptions happen every few years, and bigger ones happen about every ten to fifteen years. Big eruptions happened in the years 1006, 1786, 1822, 1872, and 1930. In 1930, thirteen villages were destroyed, and many people were affected by flows of hot rock and gas.

2006 eruption

In April 2006, signs showed that Merapi might erupt soon. Authorities warned people living near the volcano. On April 19, smoke rose higher from the crater. By early May, lava began to flow. Thousands of people were told to leave the area. Even though some people went back to their homes to protect their animals and crops, the volcano’s activity lessened by mid-May.

2010 eruption

Main article: 2010 eruptions of Mount Merapi

In late October 2010, scientists noticed more activity around Merapi. Villagers near the volcano were told to leave. By November, the volcano erupted strongly. Many people had to leave their homes, and sadly, some lost their lives. The eruption caused a lot of changes in the area, and it took time for everyone to recover.

2018 eruption

A small eruption began in May 2018, leading to evacuations near the volcano. The eruption caused ash to close an airport. This eruption started a new period of growth for the volcano and led to more evacuations later.

2021 eruption

Eruptions began in January 2021, causing more evacuations. There were several small eruptions during the year, sending lava and ash into the air. Each time, people had to leave their homes for safety.

2023 eruption

In March 2023, Merapi erupted again. Lava flowed several kilometers, and authorities asked people to stay far away from the crater for their safety.

2024 eruption

In January 2024, Merapi erupted once more. Lava and hot ash flowed from the volcano, and people living nearby were again told to move to safer places.

Monitoring

Mount Merapi has a very active volcano monitoring program. People have been watching the volcano using special machines since 1924. Some of the old watching spots have been updated with new tools over the years. After big eruptions, some of these spots were moved to safer places.

Today, there are eight special machines around the volcano that help scientists find exactly where earthquakes are happening under the ground. These machines also help watch for dangerous flows of mud and water that can come after heavy rain. By keeping a close eye on the volcano, scientists can give warnings when it might erupt again.

Check dam

About 90 of the 258 sand barriers were damaged. Fixing them will cost around Rp 1 trillion, which is about $116 million.

Sterile zone

After the eruption in 2010, three Indonesian government departments made a rule. They said that nine villages could not have people living there all the time, and no buildings could be built. These villages are Palemsari, Pangukrejo, Kaliadem, Jambu, Kopeng, Petung, Kalitengah Lor, Kalitengah Kidul, and Srunen. All of these villages are in the Cangkringan district.

National park

In 2004, an area of 6,410 hectares around Mount Merapi was set aside as a national park. However, some local people were upset because they were not asked about this decision. During an eruption in 2006, many people did not want to leave their homes because they were worried their houses might be taken for the park.

Museum

The Merapi Museum Center is located on Kaliurang Street, Kilometer 25.7, in the Pakem subdistrict of Sleman, Yogyakarta. The museum features a replica of Mount Merapi's eruption after 2010. Since this eruption, visits by Indonesian students to the museum have grown by 30 percent.

Mythology

Mount Merapi is very special to the Javanese people, especially those who live near it. Because of this, many myths and beliefs are connected to the mountain.

Many nearby villages have their own stories about how Mount Merapi was created. Most of these stories share similar ideas. They say that when the gods made the Earth, the island of Java was not balanced because a big mountain called Mount Jamurdipo was placed at the west end of the island. To fix this, the gods decided to move this mountain to the center of Java. But two armourers, Empu Rama and Empu Permadi, were already making a special sacred sword, called a keris, at the place where the mountain would be moved. The gods warned them to leave, but they ignored the warning. As a result, the gods buried Empu Rama and Empu Permadi under Mount Jamurdipo. Their spirits became the leaders of mystical beings in that area. To honor them, the mountain was later named Mount Merapi, meaning "fire of Rama and Permadi."

The Javanese believe that the Earth is home not just to people, but also to spirits. Villages near Merapi believe that one of the palaces used by spirit rulers is hidden inside the mountain. This palace is thought to be a spiritual match to the Yogyakarta Sultanate. It has roads, soldiers, princes, vehicles, and animals, just like a real palace. The spirits of good ancestors are also believed to live there as servants, sometimes visiting their living family in dreams to give important messages or warnings.

To keep the volcano calm and to honor the mountain's spirits, the Javanese people regularly leave offerings. These offerings are made on special days connected to the ruler of Yogyakarta. For the Yogyakarta Sultanate, Merapi is very important. It creates a sacred line from the mountain's peak in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south. This line passes through important places such as the Tugu Yogyakarta monument, Malioboro street, and Keraton Yogyakarta, the sultan's palace. This sacred line links the mountain spirits, the sultan, and Nyi Roro Kidul, the queen of the southern sea, who is also a mythical partner of Javanese kings.