14.4 Living with Volcanoes: Indonesia case study

Question 1

What plates does Indonesia sit on?

Answer 1

Indo-Australian, Pacific and Philippine

Question 2

How would Indonesia’s tectonic setting be described?

Answer 2

An island arc formed by the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate beneath the Eurasian plate

Question 3

How many of Indonesia’s inhabitants live within 100km of an active volcano?

Answer 3

More than three-quarters

Question 4

What has Indonesia had more of than any other country in the world?

Answer 4

More eruptions causing fatalities + damage to infrastructure than anywhere else

Question 5

What type of eruptions are associated with Indonesian volcanoes?

Answer 5

Highly explosive eg Krakatoa in 1883

Question 6

What % of dated volcanic eruptions in Indonesia have occurred since 1900?

Answer 6

80%

Question 7

Describe Mount Merapi:

Answer 7

A stratovolcano
3000m at peak
Highly active eg 1994, 1997, 2001, 2006

Question 8

When was Mount Merapi’s recent eruption?

Answer 8

November 2010

Question 9

What hazards accompanied the 2010 eruption?

Answer 9

Pyroclastic flow
Ash fall – destroyed crops and killed animals 
Lava bombs 
Lahars
Acid rain

Question 10

How far did pyroclastic flow extend in 2010?

Answer 10

Extended maximum of 15km to the south

Question 11

How were lahars triggered?

Answer 11

Eruption occurred at the start of the rainy season

Question 12

How many people killed, injured, and became refugees in 2010?

Answer 12

367 people killed
277 injured
410,000 became refugees

Question 13

What precautions were taken?

Answer 13

Closure of Yogyakarta airport for over a fortnight