Merapi volcanic eruption. Infrared satellite image of a plume of ash (grey) rising from the eruption of Mount Merapi,Java,Indonesia,on 6 June 2006. North is at top. Clouds are white and vegetation is red. The volcano,which had been active since April,is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia. During the eruption,the danger of lava flows and hot gases led to the evacuation of 11,000 villagers living near the volcano. The eruption came 10 days after a major earthquake hit nearby,causing devastation across this area and the surrounding area,leaving some 340,000 people homeless. There are fears that the volcano may erupt again. Image obtained by the ASTER thermal sensor on NASA's Terra satellite |