Hot gas and lava from Indonesia's Mount Merapi are flowing in more directions, prompting evacuation of thousands of residents this week, but experts said today the volcano's overall emissions have dropped.
Mount Merapi releases volcanic smoke earlier this week
The volcano, on Indonesia's main island of Java, has spewed heat clouds and burning lava sporadically for weeks and is considered close to a major eruption.
The government centre observing the country's most active volcano said a lava dome formed more than a decade ago has collapsed.
Some vulcanologists fear more lava domes could collapse, triggering a massive outpouring of lava and gas.
The recent volcanic activity has led officials to evacuate around 2,000 villagers living down Merapi's southwestern slope and they expect to move thousands more to safe shelters.
"They have heard ceaseless rumbling. They clearly know the impact of the earthquake in Yogyakarta," said official Edi Purwanto who manages evacuation efforts in Central Java's Magelang regency.
Most villages in Merapi's danger zone are located just north of the ancient royal city of Yogyakarta while areas that suffered most in a deadly earthquake in the area on May 27th are only a short drive south.
Experts differ over whether the quake significantly affected Merapi's activity.
Mount Merapi, which killed more than 60 people in 1994 and 1,300 in a 1930 eruption, was placed on top alert status on May 13th, prompting an evacuation wave from the danger zone. However, when days passed without the feared eruption, thousands of residents returned to their homes.