REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA -- Merapi Volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing hot cloud up to seven kilometres, the country's disaster management agency said in a statement. The volcano located in Yogyakarta Special Region and Central Java erupted around 12 pm local time (0500 GMT) and a lava flow of 1.5 km was observed, the local authority said.

Residents in the nearby community have been warned to stop any activities in the danger zones, range between three to seven kilometres radius from the crater, the statement said.

The 2,963 metre-high (9,721 feet) Merapi is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes and was already on the country's second-highest alert level. Official at Mount Merapi Observation Post in Babadan, Yulianto said no residents have been evacuated.

"This has only been observed as one time event, there have been 5-6 avalanches. If the coverage continue to increase and the distance is further than 7 kilometres, it is likely that the residents will be recommended to evacuate," he said.

Based on a report from Babadan, the hot cloud avalanches triggered volcanic ash that headed northwest-north. Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said the disaster response team consisting of volunteers, BPBD, and SAR had gone to the field to map and help evacuate residents in areas affected by the eruption of Merapi Volcanoon Saturday afternoon.

He said that the team on the ground had also prepared logistical needs including masks and evacuation sites. "Until this afternoon there was smoke, then the stones started to appear. I have communicated with several friends to check," said Ganjar before sending President Joko Widodo off to Jakarta at Adi Soemarmo air base on Saturday.

The last report received by Ganjar, until 15.00 WIB there were three areas in Central Java that were affected by the eruption of Merapi Volcano. These include Magelang Regency, Klaten Regency, and Boyolali Regency. 

Although part of Merapi is located in the Yogyakarta Special Region, the ash fall is not felt by most of the people of Yogyakarta. Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X believes that Merapi will not erupt explosively like what happened in 2010.

"It won't erupt like before," he said at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC) Bantul on Saturday evening. 

According to Sultan, the eruption pattern of the active volcano has changed compared to the big eruption a few years ago. "It's different because it's been more than ten years. Usually it's been four years since it erupted," said Sultan.

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