In News:

In May 2025, Mount Marapi, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, erupted, spewing a column of volcanic ash 1.5 km into the sky. The event has once again highlighted the seismic vulnerability of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic activity frequently triggers volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

About Mount Marapi

• Location: Situated in the Padang Highlands of western Sumatra, Indonesia.
• Type: A stratovolcano (composite volcano), consisting of successive layers of lava, ash, and pyroclastic material.
• Elevation: Rises to 2,891 meters (9,485 feet) above sea level, making it the highest peak in the region.
• Summit Feature: Contains the Bancah caldera (approx. 1.4 km wide), with multiple overlapping craters.
• Tectonic Setting: Lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically active zone encircling the Pacific Ocean.
• Notable Eruption: In 1979, a deadly eruption-induced lahar (volcanic mudflow) caused by intense rainfall resulted in 60 fatalities.

Why is it in the News?

The bodies of 11 climbers were recovered on Monday a day after a furious eruption of the Mount Marapi volcano as Indonesian rescuers searched for 12 apparently still missing.

About Mount Marapi:

Don't confuse it with Mount Merapi, which is located on Java Island.

• ‘Mount Marapi’ located is a volcanic mountain located in West Sumatra of Indonesia.
• It also known as Marapi or Gunuang Marapi in Minangkabau.
• According to legend, the mountain is the site first settled by the Minangkabau people after their ship landed on the mountain when it was the size of an egg and surrounded by water.
• There are large numbers of upright burial stones in the region which are oriented in the direction of the mountain, indicating its cultural significance.
• A significant eruption occurred in 1979, and in April-May 2018, ashfalls to the southeast were recorded.

About Mount Merapi:

• Mount Merapi is a volcanic mountain on the island of Java in Indonesia and is the most active volcano in Indonesia (out of a total of 30 active volcanoes).
• Although Mount Merapi was discovered by humans in 1754, geologists have estimated that the volcanic mountain is over 400,000 years old.
• The last major eruption of Mount Merapi back in 2010. This eruption took the lives of 347 people, and a further 20,000 locals were forced to evacuate the area.
• The local name for Mount Merapi is Gunung Merapi which can be translated to Fire Mountain or Mountain of Fire.
• Mount Merapi is considered sacred by local people. They believe that a supernatural kingdom exists there.
• Mount Merapi has erupted countless times, which haven't been recorded in modern history.
  • However, we do know that Merapi has erupted over 68 since 1548.
  • Merapi has now been active for approximately 10,000 years.