26 January 2001
The show started at 2300 on the 25th when the fog cleared and gave
a non stop pyroclastic flow display for about 4 hours before the mist closed
in again permanantly, it seems, it is now 1500 on the 26th and there is
still no visibility. The seismograph, however has been quite active so
it seems the activity continues, loud rockfall and PF is heard frequently.
25 January 2001
0200hrs local time today in perfect viewing and filming conditions
a period of almost continuous activity commenced with pyroclastic flows
coming almost constantly for two hours. A pryoclastic flow at night takes
on a fantastic appearance as the cloud becomes invisible and it looks like
a huge avalanche of glowing rocks floating down the mountain.Occasionly
the rock fall could be heard above the annoying sound of 100 people talking
and babies crying. Several flows were very large and came almost down to
the forest. By the time daylight arrived at about 0545 the show had stopped,
the cone remained completely clear for the next fours and it was only when
the cloud had almost obscured the mountain completely that the biggest
flow of the day came down right into the forest on the Kaliurang side.
For the rest of the day
the mountain was not visible at all and rain was intermittant.
24 January 2001
The bad weather finally let up for a couple of hours today to provide
a truly spectacular display, dozens of beautiful pyroclastic flows, one
after the other for about an hour rolled down the flanks of Merapi toward
Kaliurang in perfect viewing and filming conditions. The other good thing
was that the hordes of international media that had grumbled about the
weather for the last two days had all left about an hour prior to the start
of the show, I like it when that happens! The highly unstable
lava domes of which there are now two were observed to generate continuous
rockfall, some of which developed into pyroclastic flow. Just before
1300 local time while walking past the seismograph room I noticed the needle
going haywire, swinging more than an inch either side of the line. As the
summit area was in cloud I waited for a PF to emerge, when it did it was
the biggest I have seen so far and heading directly towards us! Panic ensued
and people were yelling into loudspeakers and running everywhere. I calmly
continued filming knowing that I could run into the underground bunker
built specifically for surviving such events in the last few seconds, most
people ran past it and off down the road, (they must have thought they
could outrun it!) Fortunately a ridge about 1 kilometre from us stopped
it from getting to us. Several still photographers have ventured further
up the mountain for better photos but I declined to join them, I prefer
to be alive for the next eruption.
Photo 1: Pyroclastic
flow Jan 24 0900hrs
Photo 2: Pyroclastic
flow Jan 24 0900hrs
23 January 2001
A very frustrating day at Merapi, although at 0900 local time today
I observed and filmed 3 fast moving pyroclastic flows within 5 minutes
but that was it, the whole day provided only 20 minutes of partial view
of the cone, and for about 1 minute of that time the summit lava dome was
visible, through the telephoto lens of the camera pieces of the unstable
dome were observed continually peeling off. Bad weather and torrential
rain prevented any further observation of the activity and continued into
the night.
The observatory seismograph showed that activity was ongoing and
frequent rockfall and pyroclastic flow were heard from Babadan Observatory.
Possibly due to the storm activity electricity supply here is intermittant
at best and it is off more often than it is going so at some point my updates
may cease.
22 January 2001
Merapi Update, observations from Babadan, bad weather is preventing
all but fleeting views of the cone now but observatory staff have observed
45 pyroclastic flows today from daylight up to the onset of bad weather.
I observed two just before 1500 local time.
22 January 2001
I arrived last night to see reports on the TV news of a bus
being blown up in Jakarta, (maybe it fell apart) then moved on to Yogyakarta
to land in failing light and a violent thunderstorm, (as usual bad weather
comes when I don't want it) despite this, the pilot made a perfect landing...a
quick trip to the hotel in a taxi with 15 near misses with oncoming trucks
buses, motorbikes etc......ah, it is good to be back in Indonesia.
Mt Merapi is clearly visible this morning from Yogyakarta and looks
quiet at present.
I will be driving to Babadan today to camp at the Volcano Observatory.
Mobile internet connnections here seem to be working flawlessly
so if the big one comes I expect to be able to post live photographs on
this page.