Volcano Spews Gas, Lava In Indonesia; Quake Also Hits

Mount Merapi in Central Java is spewing hot gases and lava, two years after an eruption killed 69 people.

Hundreds of people have moved out of their homes near the volcano, about 250 miles east of Jakarta, Mas Atje Purbawinata, head of the government volcano division, said Friday.

The gases are released every 30 seconds and rise nearly two miles into the air, Purbawinata said. Smoldering lava has flowed out every three minutes since Thursday.

The nearest village is 3-1/2 miles south of the 9,800-foot-high volcano.

Merapi erupted without warning on Nov. 22, 1994, forcing more than 2,000 people to be evacuated from the surrounding area. Merapi’s most destructive eruption this century was in 1930, when 1,300 people were killed. Meanwhile, a strong earthquake rocked eastern Indonesia early today. There were no reports of damage or injuries.

The magnitude-5.8 quake was centered about 700 miles east of Jakarta in the province of West Nusatenggara, according to Paulus Agus Winarso of Indonesia’s meteorology and geophysics agency.

The quake also was felt on neighboring Bali, an island popular with tourists.

A fairly strong earthquake also shook islands south of Tokyo early today. There were no reports of damage or injuries.

The magnitude-5 quake was centered six miles beneath the sea floor near the island of Niijima, 90 miles south of Tokyo, the Central Meteorological Agency said.

Three smaller quakes followed.