Volcano · Indonesia
Merapi
Indonesia's most active volcano, its lava domes collapsing into glowing avalanches.
Status right now
No current reports
Merapi is not in the latest Smithsonian weekly report or the GDACS volcano alerts. That usually means it is quiet, but not every change is reported straight away. For official alerts, follow the local volcano observatory.
Checked 4 Nov 2026, 23:39 UTC.
Key facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Region
- Asia
- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Summit
- 2,910 m (9,547 ft)
- Coordinates
- 7.540° S, 110.446° E
- Smithsonian number
- 263250
What kind of volcano is it?
Merapi is a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is a tall, steep cone built from layers of lava, ash and rock from many eruptions. Its sticky magma traps gas, so eruptions are often explosive, with ash columns and fast-moving pyroclastic flows.
Eruption history
| Date | VEI | Deaths | Also |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Dec 2017 | – | 8 | – |
| 12 Feb 2013 | – | 1 | – |
| 3 Jan 2011 | – | 1 | – |
| 26 Oct 2010 | 4 | 367 | – |
| 14 Jun 2006 | 1 | 2 | – |
| 5 Aug 2001 | 2 | 2 | – |
| Nov 2000 | 2 | 1 | – |
| 14 Jan 1997 | 2 | 6 | – |
| 22 Nov 1994 | 3 | 66 | – |
| 31 Dec 1986 | 2 | 1 | – |
| 25 Nov 1976 | 2 | 29 | – |
| 22 Oct 1974 | 2 | 9 | – |
| 7 Jan 1969 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Oct 1962 | – | 2 | – |
| 8 May 1961 | 3 | 6 | – |
| 18 Jan 1954 | 2 | 64 | – |
| Feb 1932 | – | – | – |
| 18 Dec 1930 | 3 | 1,369 | – |
| 25 Jul 1920 | 2 | 35 | – |
| 30 Jan 1904 | 2 | 16 | – |
| Dec 1902 | 2 | 16 | – |
| 3 Nov 1872 | 4 | 200 | – |
| 17 Apr 1872 | 4 | 170 | – |
| 15 Apr 1872 | 4 | 30 | – |
| 25 Dec 1832 | 2 | 32 | – |
| 27 Dec 1822 | 3 | 100 | – |
| 4 Aug 1672 | 3 | 3,000 | – |
| 1587 | 4 | – | – |
28 significant eruptions near Merapi in NOAA's Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database, which lists eruptions that caused deaths, damage or a tsunami, or were VEI 6 or larger. VEI is the Volcanic Explosivity Index, from 0 to 8.
Nearby volcanoes
- SemeruIndonesia · 280 km
- AgungIndonesia · 565 km
- KrakatauIndonesia · 577 km
- LewotobiIndonesia · 1,362 km
- MarapiIndonesia · 1,362 km
- SinabungIndonesia · 1,791 km
Not an official warning service. In an emergency, follow your local authorities.