Java, Indonesia
Hundreds of Indonesians refused to leave their homes this week, even as the giant volcano looming above them began erupting. Mount Merapi, on the island of Java, spewed gas, ash, and streams of lava, and scientists feared a major collapse of the lava dome. At least 5,000 people did evacuate the area, but many remained, bolstered by the calm of an 80-year-old mystic who tends the volcano’s gods. The mystic, Maridjan, said the spirits had not told him to flee. Merapi’s last eruption, in 1994, killed 70 people. A much bigger eruption, in 1930, killed at least 1,300.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
