Mount Merapi volcano spewed avalanches of hot clouds as hundreds were evacuated from its fertile slopes.

Authorities evacuated more than 500 people living on the mountain in Magelang district on Java 

Island.

Thousands of people  have had to leave their homes and farmland because of the dangers on 

Merapi, Indonesia's most active volcano.

The initial eruption was obscured by fog, but using seismic and other data, the Geological 

Disaster Technology Research and Development Center estimated the hot clouds spread less 

than 0.6 miles from the crater.

The geological authority had raised the alert level of Mount Merapi to the second-

highest level in November after sensors picked up increasing activity. Tourism and

mining activities were stopped. Some evacuees had returned to the slopes after the activity 

subsided but had to return back again.