One of Indonesia's biggest Buddhist temples has been forced to close, being covering in a thick volcanic ash. The Mount Merapi volcano has been erupting for two weeks now, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes behind.
Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano continues to erupt Wednesday. Now, it’s led to the closing of one of the biggest Buddhist temples in Indonesia.
A thick layer of volcanic ash, over one inch thick, has blanketed Borobudur temple.
It’s located in Magelang some 24 miles from the volcano. And it has been temporarily closed to tourists since last Friday.
[Marsis Sutopo, Head of Borobudur Temple Conservation]:
“We plan to cover the temple with plastic so if the ash keeps coming, it won't harm the surface.”
The temple, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is decorated with more than 2,600 reliefs and 500 Buddha statues.
Officials say volcanic activity has dissipated, but intense tremors are still being detected, forcing authorities to maintain a high alert status and a 12 mile danger zone from the summit.
The volcano began spewing lava, hot clouds and volcanic gas more than two weeks ago, killing 151 people and forcing 320,000 to abandon their homes.
