Indonesia (Merapi) - LIVING WITH VOLCANOES

• over 75% live within 100km of a volcano
• indonesia has the most eruptions causing fatalities and damage
• indonesia is mostly an island arc formed as the Australian and Eurasian plate collide
• merapi

  • strato volcano
  • highly active
  • pyroclastic flows reaching 15km South and 4km North
  • VEI - 4
• social impacts

  • 277 injured, over 350 killed
  • over 400,000 refugees
  • airport closed for 2 weeks
  • cultural ties meant gatekeeper refused to leave as a warning from god
• environment impacts

  • 130 million km³ of pyroclastic flows and other materials destroyed crops
  • emissions of sulphur dioxide created acid rain
  • fertile soils?
• political impacts

  • military and 1600 volunteers as part of national aid response
• economic impacts

  • livestock, buildings and powerlines damaged by pyroclastic flows
  • lahars due to rainy seasons