1979 eruption of Mount Marapi
{{Short description|Volcanic eruption in West Sumatra, Indonesia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox eruption
| name = 1979 eruption of Mount Marapi
| photo =
| caption =
| date = 30 April 1979
| location = West Sumatra, Indonesia
| volcano = Mount Marapi
| type =
| VEI =
| coordinates = {{coord|-0.3800|100.4742|type:event_region:ID-SB|display=inline,title}}
| impact = 80 (possibly up to 100) deaths, many injured
}}
On 30 April 1979, Mount Marapi, a complex volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the most active complex volcano in West Sumatra province,{{Cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/scores-stranded-as-villages-blanketed-by-ash-after-indonesia-s-marapi-volcano-erupts/ar-AA1kW5dB |title=Scores stranded as villages blanketed by ash after Indonesia's Marapi volcano erupts |website=MSN |first=Rahma |last=Nurjana |date=4 December 2023 |publisher=USA Today |access-date=4 December 2023 |archive-date=4 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204152941/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/scores-stranded-as-villages-blanketed-by-ash-after-indonesia-s-marapi-volcano-erupts/ar-AA1kW5dB |url-status=live }} erupted,{{Citation | author1=Pusat Meteorologi dan Geofisika | title=Laporan bencana alam Gunung Marapi, Sumatera Barat, tanggal 30 April 1979 | publication-date=1979 | publisher=[s.n.] | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/10060521 | access-date=4 December 2023 | language=id |location=Jakarta}} killing between 80{{Cite news |date=1 May 1979 |title=Vulkaan barst uit: tientallen doden op Sumatra |language=nl |work=Het Vrije Volk |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010960140:mpeg21:a0163 |via=Delpher}} and 100 people.{{Cite news |date=5 May 1979 |title=Pre-historische Toba-ramp maakte verrukkelijk meer |language=nl |work=De Telegraaf |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011200408:mpeg21:a0858 |via=Delpher}}
Due to its proximity to populated areas, the volcano is recognised as a significant hazard.
Events
The 1979 eruption followed earthquakes and torrential rain.{{Cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBNRC01:000027078:mpeg21:a0046 |title=70 doden door vulkaan op Sumatra |work=NRC Handelsblad|date=1 May 1979 |via=Delpher|language=nl}} Due to either the rain or a gas explosion in the interior of the volcano, tons of rock broke out of the crater wall and rolled down the volcano's slopes.{{Cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010882035:mpeg21:a0146 |title=Aardschuiving eist 77 levens op Sumatra |work=De Volkskrant|date=2 May 1979 |via=Delpher|language=nl}}{{Cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011200408:mpeg21:a0858 |title=Pre-historische Toba-ramp maakte verrukkelijk meer |work=De Telegraaf|date=5 May 1979 |via=Delpher|language=nl}} Mountain streams became blocked, causing floods that swept away roads, bridges, seven villages and hundreds of houses.{{Cite news |date=1 May 1979 |title=Vulkaan-eruptie op Sumatra: zeker 77 doden |language=nl |work=Nieuwsblad van het Noorden |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011013854:mpeg21:a0308 |via=Delpher}} Rice fields were buried under mud, uprooted trees and pieces of stone.{{Cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBPERS01:002957002:mpeg21:a00141 |title= Merapi eist 80 levens bij uitbarsting |work=Algemeen Dagblad|date=2 May 1979 |via=Delpher|language=nl}} In the village of {{ill|Pasir Lawas|ceb}}, 20 bodies were found and 40 houses were destroyed by mud and boulders. Rescue work was hampered by extensive damage to roads, buildings and rice fields.
It was the second volcanic eruption in Indonesia in 1979, after the 1979 eruption of Sinila crater of the Dieng Volcanic Complex on Java in February. On the plateau near the Sinila crater, 149 people died of gas poisoning in Pekisaran village.{{Cite news |url= https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011187794:mpeg21:a0026 |title= Tientallen doden bij vulkaanuitbarsting op Sumatra |work=Vrije Stem|date=3 May 1979 |via=Delpher| language=nl}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External link
- [https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/10060521 Laporan bencana alam Gunung Marapi, Sumatera Barat, tanggal 30 April 1979.] – Book about the eruption. {{in language|id}}
{{Volcanic eruptions in Indonesia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marapi eruption, 1979}}
Category:1979 disasters in Indonesia
Category:1979 natural disasters
Category:History of West Sumatra
Category:20th-century volcanic events
Category:Volcanic eruptions in Indonesia
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