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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| 7,000 evacuated from slopes of a volcano |
| 2004-06-07 |
| While we all (well most of us) laughed at how implausable the plot of the Day After Tommorow was, there is a scenario that causes a abrupt drop of temperature in temperate latitudes and that is a major volcanic eruption. 70,000 years ago a volcano on Sumatra erupted and many people believe killed almost all the humans on the planet and caused temperature drops of 15C in a matter of weeks. More than 7,000 people have been evacuated from the slopes of Mount Awu volcano in northern Indonesia after it showed signs of erupting, police and a vulcanologist said yesterday. Villagers have been moved to Tahuna, the main town on Sangihe island north of Sulawesi, and the evacuation is continuing, said a policeman on duty in Tahuna, 15km south of Mount Awu. The policeman, who identified himself as Ronny, said the refugees are being sheltered in government buildings. He said smoke could be seen rising from the mountain early yesterday. The vulcanology office on Sunday raised the status on the 1,320-metre Mount Awu to âbewareâ, the highest alert level. âIn light of the heightened volcanic activity, the âbewareâ status is still maintained,â said Samuel Dolompaha, from the vulcanology monitoring station on Sangihe. Dolompaha said the mountain has been spewing flames and thick smoke since the second week of May. The level of volcanic earthquakes have also intensified since early on Sunday. Mount Awu last erupted in 1992 but caused no casualties. A major eruption in August 1966 killed 39 people and caused thousands to flee. The Indonesian archipelago sits on the so-called Pacific Rim of Fire noted for its volcanic and seismic activity. |
| Posted by:Phil B |