News

Hundreds of volcanic quakes shake Mt Kelud

NU Online  ·  Rabu, 17 Oktober 2007 | 10:12 WIB

Kediri, NU Online
At least 732 deep volcanic earthquakes have shaken Mount Kelud in East Java province since its status was raised to the highest level of alert on Tuesday evening.

The volcano observatory post on the volcano’s slope recorded a total of 351 deep volcanic earthquakes until the wee hours of Wednesday.<>

Until Wednesday afternoon, deep volcanic earthquakes continued to happen, the post said.

Yet, the 1,731-meter-tall volcano showed no sign of eruption until 08.00 a.m. on Wednesday. Volcanologists earlier believed Mt Kelud would erupt six hours after its status was raised to the highest level of alert at 05.25 p.m. on Tuesday.

The volcano only spewed white smoke out of its crater’s lake, the state news agency reported.

Meanwhile, thousands of people living in the nearby district of Blitar have fled their homes to safer areas since Tuesday night.

They were evacuated to a number of refugee camps using trucks.

The local administration has reportedly distributed seven tons of rice among the evacuees. (dar)