Tectonics

Caught between disasters, Javan villagers brave erupting volcano

"Am I nervous?" asked Heru Suparwaka, watching the needle of the seismograph sketch a crazy route across the page, accompanied by a high-pitched whine. "Of course I'm nervous."

Mr Heru is part of a small team monitoring Mount Merapi, one of the world's most active volcanoes, from an observation post high on its slopes. The area, on Indonesia's Java island, has been on red alert for weeks, since Merapi began spewing out lava and clouds of gas and hot ash. But since last weekend's earthquake, its activity has intensified dramatically, sparking fears of an imminent eruption.

The volcano lies 30 miles north of the epicentre of the quake, which claimed 5,427 lives, according to latest figures. With 20,000 people injured, and up to 200,000 homeless, it might seem that this portion of central Java has suffered enough. But now the scenario of one major natural disaster followed by another appears more probable than not.

If its not man made disasters causing misery (see Iraq), it is natural disasters.

At school, Tectonic plates was always my favourite topic in Georgraphy lessons.