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Heavy rains on the island of Sumatra caused torrents of rocks and ash to spill onto a volcano and nearby towns. At least 17 other people were still missing.
By Yan Zhuang and Muktita Suhartono
Heavy rains in Indonesia over the weekend triggered flash floods and sent torrents of volcano that fell from a volcano and spread to cities, killing at least 37 people, officials said.
Hours of rain Saturday night washed volcanic rocks and ash into Mount Marapi, an active volcano on the island of Sumatra, and into homes in nearby towns. These mudflows are known as lahars in Indonesian, which means bloodless lava. The rain also caused a nearby river to overflow.
A moving lahar looks like “wet concrete sludge” and a giant lahar can be crushed, buried or crawled almost in its wake, adding buildings, bridges and roads, according to the U. S. Geological Survey.
Lahars, which can also be triggered by landslides and volcanic eruptions that melt snow and ice, can temporarily grow in length and speed as they rush toward volcanoes, according to the agency’s website. Some grow to more than 10 times their original length, incorporating more debris and water as they descend and can exceed speeds of 120 miles per hour.
Four areas in West Sumatra were severely damaged over the weekend, with about 200 homes flooded, according to Indonesia’s crisis management company. In one area, Agam, another 159 people were evacuated, the company said. Some flooding has left dust deposits on top enough to succeed in an adult’s calves, he added.
As of Sunday evening, 37 citizens had been killed and another 17 were missing, the firm said.
Yan Zhuang is a reporter for the Times in Seoul who covers the news. Learn more about Yan Zhuang
Muktita Suhartono reports on Thailand and Indonesia. Find out more about Muktita Suhartono
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