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Yogyakarta (Jogja) Earthquake

I appreciate everyone’s concern in regards to the Yogyakarta earthquake. Fortunately, we’re all safe and sound, but thousands have perished in this terrible crisis. Due to the earthquake occurring in the early morning, many more people were still indoors than would have been later in the day – causing many more deaths. I feel as if Indonesia simply cannot get a rest from crisis these past few years. In only the 4 years I’ve been here the country has beenRead more
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Indonesia Quake Death Toll Soars

JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) — Relief and rescue crews and medical teams on Saturday raced to help the victims of the strong earthquake that rocked the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta and adjacent areas along the southern coast of Indonesia’s Java island. The 6.2 magnitude quake that struck just before 6 a.m. (7 p.m. ET, 11 p.m. GMT Friday) shook and rippled through a heavily populated region, killing at least 271 people, injuring hundreds, and leveling and damaging many structures. (Updata: ReutersRead more
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Mount Merapi

MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia – Villagers burned incense and floated offerings to the spirits, hoping to ward off an eruption of Mount Merapi, but activity at the volcano intensified on Monday with one blast sending ash, rock and gases more than two miles down the slope. A scientist warned on Sunday that a growing lava dome could collapse. On Monday, as activity increased, villagers who had not left were told to stand by for possible evacuation and waited in groups byRead more
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Tsunami Survivors Tell Tales

I forgot about this article in the Guardian following the Asian tsunami of 2004. I guess in the pandemonium, I never thought of passing it on at the time, even though this blog was mentioned. But perhaps the saddest site I’ve visited today is javajive, written by another expat who has been waiting on news of friends in Phuket. At the time of writing this post he’s still waiting, although a commenter on his blog tells of their heartbreak atRead more
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U.S. Embassy Warns of Volcanic Eruption in Indonesia

This just arrived in my inbox – not exactly the kind of message I see on a daily basis. I guess there’s never a dull moment in Indonesia. U.S. Embassy Jakarta U.S. Consulate General Surabaya Warden Message April 13, 2006 The U.S. Embassy informs Americans in Indonesia that the Indonesian Center for Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised the alert status for Mt. Merapi Volcano in Central Java to Level 3 on April 12, 2006. Level 3 means that volcanicRead more