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Hundreds return to slopes of Javanese volcano

11 May 2006, YOGYAKARTA - Residents evacuated from the slopes of Indonesia's Mount Merapi are returning to their homes despite increasing signs of an imminent eruption. The 2,914-metre volcano in Central Java has been on "standby" alert status for more than three weeks. One step higher requires the mandatory evacuation of all residents.

In recent weeks, thousands of people voluntarily left their homes for shelters in safer areas as the volcano began oozing lava and spewing smoke.Officials say that about 1,000 evacuees have now returned home. Geologists say Merapi is continuing to show increasing activity, as a new lava dome at its peak continues to grow.