The volcanic archipelago of Indonesia now has two violently erupting volcanoes: Sinabung continues on Sumatra, and Kelud fires off a valentine blast on Java. Sinabung has been spewing ash, rolling out lava and tumbling pyroclastic flows down its flanks since early in the new year. Thousands have been evacuated and more than a dozen killed as Indonesia's western island, Sumatra, has dealt with the ongoing eruptions.
The island of Java got into the action yesterday as Kelud blasted into action sending ash into the stratosphere, and noise of the eruptions more than 100 miles into the countryside. At least 2 (from a quick glance on-line) have been killed but thousands are fleeing the area, scrambling to evacuation centers hastily set up outside the eruption zone. As a nation of volcanoes, my guess would be that there are plans in place at all government levels as well as for families and individuals to get out of town when the big mountain in the backyard gets wild. Photos from both volcanoes are both spectacular and scary; easy to look on in wonder and awe from a safe, quiet post in central Virginia but knowing that Indonesians fleeing the scenes are likely finding little wonder or beauty in the violent side of Earth.
The USGS site will not show the current list of active volcanoes (but it hasn't changed since I checked Thursday) and while there are other volcanoes spewing and oozing all eyes are on Indonesia. The equatorial climate and rich volcanic soil of the island nation are wonderful in quiet times but... when the source of that rich soil fires up, it's time to get out of town and hang on, today on Earth!
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