Activity at Indonesia's Mount Merapi has been decreasing and officials are reviewing the volcano's top alert status, a scientist said Saturday. "There's a trend of decreased activity but Merapi still emits lava trails," said Hani Prabawati from the vulcanology office in Yogyakarta, the main city south of Merapi.
No clouds of hot gas were seen early Saturday, she said.
"We are reviewing the situation," she said, when asked if the current top alert level would be lowered.
Merapi was placed on red alert on May 13 and clouds of hot gas and ash have since erupted intermittently from its peak along with burning lava flows.
Two people were killed last month when they were trapped in an emergency bunker under volcanic debris carried by the searing clouds.
Merapi's increased activity forced the evacuation of 15,000 villagers, but many of them have now returned.
The volcano's deadliest eruption was in 1930 when more than 1,300 people were killed.
