Hijjah 03, 1431 / Nov. 09, 2010, SPA -- Mount Merapi eruptions have damaged 867 hectares of forest on the volcano's slopes in Sleman District, Yogyakarta, with the losses estimated at Rp33 billion. The damaged forest areas consisted of Mt Merapi National Park, community forests and local people's plantation areas, Kardina, secretary of the Yogyakarta forestry office, said here Monday. The Mt Merapi National Park in Cangkringan sub district has been closed temporarily due to the volcano's eruptions. Around 310 hectares of the national park area have been damaged with total losses estimated at Rp17 billion, ANTARA quoted the secretary as saying. "The Merapi eruptions since October 26, 2010, have forced animals to migrate and burned Javanese eagle's nests existing in the area," she said. Hot ash and mudflow coming from the volcano have destroyed about 247,520 trees in the national park. The eruptions had also destroyed coffee, clove, coconut, and pepper plantations. According to Kardina, the forestry office would carry out rehabilitation work of the forest areas by taking into account the condition of Mount Merapi, Indonesia's most active volcano.
