JAKARTA, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Authorities said they are preparing evacuation plans for 10,000 people in central Java because the Mount Merapi volcano could erupt at any time.
The 9,000-foot volcano has shown increased seismic activity during the past week, Xinhua reported Monday.
"We have raised the alert status to the highest level this morning; this means that the mount can erupt at any time," a National Volcanology spokesman said.
The agency asked people living within 6 miles of the volcano's slope to leave the area.
"The agency has recommended villagers particularly living at the southeastern of the mount at the radius of 10 kilometers (6 miles) to immediately leave the area," the agency said.
Monitoring data recorded Sunday indicated there were 90 instances of lava flows, the Antara news agency reported.
More than 40,000 people live near the volcano. It last erupted in 2006, killing two people. An eruption in 1994 killed 60, and more than 1,000 died in an eruption in 1930, the report said.
