Indonesia raises danger level for volcano on island of Java

Mount Merapi is seen in the background in Pemalang, Central Java, Indonesia (Agung Nugroho/AP)

Indonesian authorities raised the danger level for the volatile Mount Merapi volcano on the densely populated island of Java and ordered a halt to tourism and mining activities.

Indonesia’s geological agency raised Merapi’s alert level, which had been at the third-highest level since it began erupting last year, to the second-highest level after sensors picked up increasing activity.