A full evacuation was set in motion on Saturday after scientists warned of an imminent eruption.

The volcano, in Central Java province, is shooting out black smoke, volcanic ash and lava.

Police have set up roadblocks to curb access but have allowed some villagers to return temporarily.

Mystical spirits

The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Jakarta says Mount Merapi's pyrotechnic displays continue unabated with mini explosions sending clouds of burning ash, small rocks and spurts of lava high into the sky.

Although officials say the evacuation is going smoothly, some farmers have defied the order to leave.

The government has put millions of dollars aside to cover the emergency, but ministers have not made clear whether villagers will be entitled to compensation for lost crops and livestock.

Budi, a 30-year-old farmer who came back to tend his cattle, said: "My feeling is it will not blow at this time."

Asmo, an elderly man who had been evacuated, said: "Of course, I am afraid. But it is my responsibility to get the milk and cut the grass. A responsibility cannot be abandoned."

Our correspondents says Mount Merapi is revered by many locals, who believe mystical sprits live in the volcano's crater.

Many say they are waiting for specific signs - such as clouds in the shape of a sheep's fleece to show them an eruption is imminent.

But scientists are convinced of the danger, having recorded 27 tremors from the 3,000m (9,700ft) volcano on Saturday.

Officials monitoring the volcano raised the threat status to a red alert, the highest level.

Scientists still cannot say when the volcano will erupt nor how powerful any explosion might be.

Merapi - which means "mountain of fire" - is now in a state of "constant lava flow".

A gas cloud from the volcano's last eruption in 1994 killed 60 people.

One of its deadliest eruptions was in 1930, when about 1,300 people were killed.

Indonesia, part of the Asia-Pacific "Ring of Fire", has at least 129 active volcanoes.

Do you live in the area? Have you or do you know anyone who has been affected by the evacuation? Send us your experiences by using the form below:

I visited Merapi in 1994. What concerned me most was that the city of Jogjakarta has a population of over 10 million people. If Merapi was to erupt on a massive scale this could be one of the worlds greatest humanitarian disasters. Tim Butler, UK

I have friends in Indonesia and wish everyone is more willing to leave since the eruption is very dangerous and death is imminent. don't worry about life stock because they are replaceable but your life can't. The soil in the farmland will become much more fertile after the eruption. Sherwin Lo, Marietta, USA

I live 35 km to the east of mount Merapi. Luckily for me, the eruption never affect areas in the east of Merapi but only to the north and northwest. After the eruption, the sky will be very dark and it will rain of ash and dirt for about two hours. When I was a kid, the eruption didn't affect us directly but the whole town was covered by thick-gray-ash and we spent hours to sweep it off our roof and garden. Yesterday I heard that some poor farmers wanted the government to buy their cattle and livestock because it is the only possession they have. It's an old old story, EVERY TIME Merapi erupts, there are ALWAYS dead victims. Usually it's the ones who decided to stay in the Merapi's vicinity. Winarto, Solo, Indonesia

I am a Canadian who used to live in Yogyakarta 20 years ago. I fell in love with the people, the land and climbed Merapi. It was common to leave at dusk in order to watch the sunrise from the peak of Merapi. I stay in touch with my friends there who are nervous - remember this if from the land of Krakatoa and one only needs to think of Pompeii to realise what could happen. Spencer Campbell, Canada

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