Indonesian volcano erupts, canceling flights again
November 11, 2010 - 0:0
MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia (AP) – Indonesia's most volatile volcano spewed clouds of ash high into the sky Wednesday, forcing some international airlines to again cancel flights and President Barack Obama to cut short his visit.
The official death toll, meanwhile, climbed by more than 40 to 191.Disaster officials said earlier figures had not included people who died of respiratory problems, heart attacks and other illnesses linked to the fiery mountain.
Mount Merapi, located in the heart of Java island, roared back to life two weeks ago, shooting searing clouds of gray soot and debris up to four miles (six kilometers) into the air almost daily, with lava and rock cascading down its slopes.
More than 350,000 people have been evacuated to cramped emergency shelters. Safety concerns also prompted several international carriers to again cancel flights into and out of Jakarta, 270 miles (450 kilometers) from Merapi, said Syaiful Bahri, who oversees operations at the airport. Among them were Cathay Pacific, Value Air and Qantas.