Lava In Java

Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano spews giant clouds of hot gas and ash Wednesday, June 14, 2006 outside of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A large eruption of the searing hot gas and debris sent more than 1,000 villagers fleeing from the volcano's slopes a day after government scientists lowered the alert level at the notoriously unpredictable volcano.

Lava flows down the slopes of Mount Merapi as seen from Tunggularum near Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, June 8, 2006. The volcano spewed a spectacular roiling cloud of hot gas and ash down its southern slope, sending more than 15,000 villagers running to safety or piling into cars and trucks, officials and witnesses said.

Mount Merapi releases hot cloud of gas and debris as seen from Deles, Central Java, Indonesia, Thursday, June 8, 2006. The volcano spewed a spectacular roiling cloud of hot gas and ash down its southern slope, sending more than 15,000 villagers running to safety or piling into cars and trucks, officials and witnesses said.

Children wear masks to protect their respiration from volcanic dust at a temporary shelter in Cangkringan, near Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, June 8, 2006. Mount Merapi in the region spewed a cloud of hot gas and ash down its southern slope, sending more than 15,000 villagers running to safety or piling into cars and trucks, officials and witnesses said.

Indonesian youths walk through an ash-covered neighborhood following Mount Merapi's eruption in Dukun, Central Java Indonesia, Thursday, June 8, 2006. In its latest activity, the volcano spewed a spectacular roiling cloud of hot gas and ash down its southern slope, sending more than 15,000 villagers running to safety or piling into cars and trucks, officials and witnesses said.

Workers clean up a fairway of Merapi Golf Club as Mount Merapi is seen in the background in Cangkringan, near Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 6, 2006. Lava and superheated clouds of gas poured down the upper slopes on Tuesday, and nearby villages were warned of possible danger.

Mount Merapi volcano releases a huge cloud of hot ash as seen from Srumbung village in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, Monday, May 15, 2006. Clouds of deadly hot ash, rock fragments and volcanic gas surged down Merapi's slopes as activity at the towering mountain intensified.

Indonesia's Merapi volcano erupts with lava and huge clouds of hot gasses Monday, May 15, 2006 as seen from Cangkarang village on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, the provincial capital of Central Java province Indonesia. Villages on Mount Merapi were virtually empty, but some residents returned to its slopes to tend their animals and crops after officials raised the alert status to the highest level.

A pyroclastic flow, the deadly combination of super heated gas, ash and debris, known locally as "shaggy sheep clouds" barrels down the Mount Merapi volcano Monday, May 15, 2006, as seen from Slemen village, outside Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java province, Indonesia.

Indonesia's Merapi volcano erupts with what vulcanologists say is the largest cloud of hot gasses yet Monday, May 15, 2006 in Tunggul Arum on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, the provincial capital of Central Java province, Indonesia. Villages on Mount Merapi were left virtually empty, but some residents did return to its slopes to tend to animals and crops even after officials raised the alert status to the highest level.

A policeman guarding a checkpoint leading to the upper villages on Indonesia's Merapi volcano looks at a giant cloud of hot gas and debris spewed out by the erupting volcano Monday May 15, 2006 in Slemen village, outside Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java province, Indonesia.

Marjani, the official "guardian" of Merapi, who is said by many Indonesians to be able to predict eruptions of the volcano looks up at the volcano as it spews hot lava and gasses Sunday, May 14, 2006 near Bebung village about 12 miles outside Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java, Indonesia.

Carrying their belongings, villagers flee their homes as Mount Merapi spews hot volcanic ash in the background in Srumbung village, in Central Java, Indonesia, Monday, May 15, 2006. Clouds of deadly hot ash, rock fragments and volcanic gas surged down Merapi's slopes as activity at the towering mountain intensified to its highest level yet.

An Indonesian woman holds a baby in front of her tent at a refugee camp, after evacuating from her village on the slope of the Merapi volcano on Monday May 15, 2006, in Tunggul Arum on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, the provincial capital of Central Java province Indonesia.

An Indonesian man helps an elderly woman down from a truck in which she evacuated from Cepagan village which is 4.4 miles from the Merapi volcano on Monday, May 15, 2006, in Tunggul Arum on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, the provincial capital of Central Java province Indonesia.

A man carries an elderly women during the evacuation from their homes at Dukun village in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, Sunday, May 14, 2006. Mount Merapi belched out massive clouds of black smoke and lava flows scorched fresh scars in its slopes, but many villagers ignored warnings of a major eruption and returned home to tend animals and crops.

An Indonesian woman works in a rice paddy under Indonesia's Merapi volcano Monday May 15, 2006 outside Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java province, Indonesia. Clouds of deadly hot ash, rock fragments and volcanic gas surged down Mount Merapi's slopes as activity at the towering volcano intensified to its highest level yet.

An Indonesian woman walks up a road and past foliage turned white by volcanic ash which hit Babedan village, about 1.8 miles away from Mount Merapi, Monday, May 15, 2006 in Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java province, Indonesia. Clouds of deadly hot ash, rock fragments and volcanic gas surged down the mountain's slopes, as activity at the towering volcano intensified to its highest level yet.

An Indonesian man knocks volcanic ash off of his vegetables after it hit his village of Babedan about 1.8 miles away from Mount Merapi, Monday May 15, 2006 in Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java province, Indonesia. Clouds of deadly hot ash, rock fragments and volcanic gas surged down the mountain's slopes as activity at the towering volcano intensified to its highest level yet.