uchie-jalil: Kampungku

On July 9, 2007, the Indonesian volcano Mount Gamkonora began spewing hot ash and smoke from its crater. Columns of ash and smoke shot up over 3,000 meters, prompting authorities to declare a "state of alert" and evacuate approximately 8,000 residents from the area.
Fast Facts

1. Height: 1,325 meters
2. Located in North Maluku province
3. The highest peak on Halmahera Island
4. Last eruption was in 1987
5. Last major eruption was in 1673

Situation Downgraded

On July 16, 2007, authorities downgraded the state of alert after volcanic activity and seismic tremors had declined. The evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes, none of which had incurred any damage. No casualties or injuries were reported following the volcanic activity, but some residents complained of breathing problems due to high levels of ash in the air.

Herald Tribune
Gamkonora volcano erupts in eastern Indonesia
The Associated Press
Published: July 9, 2007

JAKARTA, Indonesia: A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Monday, sending thick clouds of smoke up to 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) in the air, the government's volcano monitoring agency said.

The agency raised the alert level at Mount Gamkonora to the second highest level, meaning a major eruption was possible in the coming weeks and villagers on its slopes should ready themselves for evacuation, according to a posting on its Web site.

Seismic activity at the 1,635-meter (5,364-feet) mountain has been increasing over the past nine days, but on Monday tremors increased and it spat out clouds of smoke and ash that soared high in the air, the posting said.

Authorities close to the volcano on remote Halmahera island were not immediately available for comment. Halmahera lies about 2,400 kilometers (1,490 miles) northeast of Jakarta.

Indonesia has more active volcanoes than any other nation because of its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" — a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia. -030-

BBC
Thousands flee Indonesia volcano

Ash clouds spew from Mount Gamkonora, in North Maluku province, Indonesia - 09/07/07
Mount Gamkonora is one of 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia

Volcanic eruptions
Thousands of Indonesians have been evacuated from the slopes of a volcano that is spewing out hot ash and smoke in the east of the country.

The alert around Mount Gamkonora, in North Maluku province, has been raised to its highest level amid fears a major eruption could be imminent.

Scientists have reported seeing fire and ash clouds rising as high as 4,000m (13,100ft) since Monday.

Some 8,400 villagers have been moved to special camps away from the volcano.

However, scientists are warning that lava could still reach the camps if there is a large eruption - and have advised residents to wear face masks to protect themselves from the ash clouds.

Some 2,000 people are reported to have chosen to remain within the 8km (five mile) danger zone marked out by officials.

'Ring of Fire'

Activity at the 1,635m mountain rose sharply on Monday, prompting scientists to raise the alert level.

Saut Simatupang of Indonesia's Vulcanological Survey told Reuters news agency that the volcano was spitting out volcanic ash as high as 4,000m at its peak on Monday.

Map

He said there had been less smoke and ash on Tuesday "but that does not mean the volcano is safe".

Mt Gamkonora is the highest peak on the island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, some 2,400km east of the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

It is one of at least 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is part of the Asia-Pacific "Ring of Fire", a series of volcanoes and fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and South East Asia.