Volcanic Eruptions (1990-2015): Java, Indonesia (Local Scale)

(National Centers for Environmental Information http://gis.ncdc.noaa.gov/map/viewer/)

The hazard represented in this map is a depiction of the recently active volcano Merapi. Volcanoes
are not strange to Indonesia, as the Indonesia Region consists of 146 volcanoes near and within its
coast. In the city of Java this particular hazard is known to erupt every 5-10 years. The significance
of this volcano is particularly important because by just looking at the eruptions in this area that have
occurred from 1990 until present the volcano has erupted three times. Each eruption occurred during
different periods with an increase of danger being warned. The first eruption that has recently been
dated for this Volcano was in 1994. The eruption killed 60 villagers. The second eruption to occur
was in 2006 with two deaths. Yet by the third eruption in 2010, 324 individuals were killed and 427
people were left injured. The deaths from this eruption were calculated from a duration of two dates.
On October 26, at least 36 people died. An increase of volcanic earthquakes encouraged many
officials to give warnings to villagers to evacuate their homes. Between the 4th and 5th of November,
eruption occurred again killing over 280 people who failed to evacuate their homes. The volcanic
eruptions are extremely dangerous in this area. The volcano is a steep stratovolcano built up of
numerous layers of harden lava and ash. The volcano is feared for its deadly pyroclastic flows
avalanches of hot rocks and gas that are generated [that] slide down the mountains steep flanks.
Volcano Discovery
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/merapi.html
Global Volcanism Program
http://volcano.si.edu/region.cfm?rn=6

Volcanic Eruptions (1990-2015): Indonesia Coast (Regional Scale)

(National Centers for Environmental Information http://gis.ncdc.noaa.gov/map/viewer/)

If we take a greater look at the country of Indonesia, we can notice a pattern of eruptions that have
occurred along the coast. During the 30-year span from 1990 until present, there have been over 12
eruptions. Yet, if we look beyond this time span, Indonesia has been known for having had at least
1,171 eruptions in its region. Indonesia has 76 volcanoes that have erupted. Many of these
volcanoes exist underwater along the coast of Indonesia, and an explanation for the patterns that
we see here is that Indonesia exists over two plates. Most of Indonesia's volcanoes are part of the
Sunda arc, a 3,000-km-long line of volcanoes extending from northern Sumatra to the Banda Sea.
Most of these volcanoes are the result of subduction of the Australia Plate beneath the Eurasia
Plate. Subduction refers to the sideways and downward movement of the edge of a plate of the
earth's crust into the mantle beneath another plate, is what causes these volcanoes to form. When
the two plates converge onto one another, the oceanic lithosphere descends beneath the surface of
the other plate. As this continues descending into greater and greater depths, the subducting
portion encounters greater temperatures and greater pressure. The water lowers the melting
temperature of the earths mantle causing it to melt which then after produces to rise upward to
produce a belt of volcanoes. The belt can either be parallel to the oceanic trench, or can be
generated on the continental crust.
How Volcanoes Work
http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/subducvolc_page.html
Tectonics of Indonesia
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/southeast_asia/indonesia/tectonics.html

Volcanic Eruptions (1990-2015): A global view of Volcanos in the Continent of Asia

(National Centers for Environmental Information http://gis.ncdc.noaa.gov/map/viewer/)

In this map, we can view two patterns of eruptions along the coasts of Japan and Indonesia.
While the eruptions are separate, we can infer that the same process between the subduction of
plates along both these regions contribute to similar hazards. Near the tropic of cancer sits Japan.
Near the Equator sits Indonesia. Just as the subduction of the Pacific plate occurs under the
Euroasia plate, there has to be a similar movement along the plates of Japan. The subduction of
the pacific plate happens to also occur under the Philippine plate which is the second plate
nearest Japan. Here we can see two similar processes of Subduction occuring along two different
coasts. Since this subduction is a common factor toward the number of eruptions along these
coasts there have been several initiatives taken to secure the hazards caused by eruptions; some
of which generate tsunamis, landslides, and pyroclastic flows. A proposed solution that has longdriven the evacuation of villagers in Indonesia is the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia. This
survey has been able to evacuate people living near the volcanos to avoid mass fatalities by
accumulating data of volcanic eruptions along this region. It is the official government body that
dedicates itself to respond, record, and investigate eruptions along the Indonesian region.
How Volcanoes Work
http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/subducvolc_page.html
Global Volcanism Program
http://volcano.si.edu/region.cfm?rn=6