I see today that Indonesia is in the American news, for a rather large earthquake off the coast of Sumatra. Sumatra is a long way away from us - think California from Montana - and the earthquake was in the ocean, which triggered tsunami warnings in Sumatra but, as far as I know at the moment, no tsunami. So if you saw the phrase "earthquake in Indonesia" and wondered about us, we're fine.
Almost certainly in the next couple of weeks you are going to see a big story about a volcano erupting in Central Java, Mount Merapi. Merapi is rather closer to us - maybe 70 miles or so - on the other side of an even larger mountain, which means we are protected. The mountain's been growing at an alarming rate - something like 20 centimeters a day since Friday, and the chief vulcanologist for Central Java has announced that an eruption is imminent - probably a big one, he said, but, he added, "hanya Tuhan yang tahu" (only God knows) - this is my new trip slogan. There's lava now coming out at a pretty good clip too. About 20000 people have been evacuated from the mountain, reluctantly though, because they fear theft, especially of their livestock.
I just put this up so that when you hear the news about Central Java, you won't become alarmed. Seamus is hoping there will be a cloud of ash from the explosion. I am frankly hoping it ends up being just a discharge of lava and nothing dramatic, but my hope, as the vulcanologist made clear, doesn't really enter into it.
Update: So there was a tsunami after the earthquake, with dozens killed and more missing. And Mount Merapi has started erupting, spewing ash and rocks. It just started about two hours ago, and there is little information about the extent. But we are all okay here, at least, and sure to remain so. Please direct your thoughts toward the people who remained on Merapi or whose villages were swept away in Sumatra by the tsunami.
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