Day By Day© by Chris Muir.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Some countries just can't seem to catch a break

Indonesia has always been an exceptionally geologically active area, but this is getting to be ridiculous:

A volcano spewed into life on Indonesia's disaster-blighted Sumatra island, spreading new panic after the recent tsunami and earthquakes and driving thousands from their homes. Mount Talang, 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Sumatra's coastal Padang city began pumping out volcanic ash shortly before dawn, prompting scientists to urge people to move away from the fall-out zone. More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from the volcano's slope, the Antara news agency quoted local official Bustamar saying. It said the volcano's status had been raised to 'beware', one rung below full-blown eruption. Vulcanologist Gede Suwantika described Talang's activity as 'serious' saying there was a risk of molten magma and clouds of super-heated gas that burn everything in their path.