What's Next, Locusts?

It just doesn't pay to be Sumatran these days:

A volcano spewed into life on Indonesia's disaster-blighted Sumatra island, spreading new panic after the recent tsunami and earthquakes and driving thousands from their homes.

Mount Talang, 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Sumatra's coastal Padang city began pumping out volcanic ash shortly before dawn, prompting scientists to urge people to move away from the fall-out zone.

More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from the volcano's slope, the Antara news agency quoted local official Bustamar saying. It said the volcano's status had been raised to "beware", one rung below full-blown eruption.

Vulcanologist Gede Suwantika described Talang's activity as "serious" saying there was a risk of molten magma and clouds of super-heated gas that burn everything in their path.

There is probably a connection between the recent earthquakes and the newly awakened volcano, and for a people who have suffered multiple large earthquakes and a devasting tsunami in the past few months, they've got to be wondering why God hates them. Of course He doesn't, but that's not much comfort when the earth is upchucking all over your village.

UPDATE: Volcano #2 is acting up:

A second Indonesian volcano has sprung to life after a series of terrifying quakes, intensifying fears that the archipelago's violent geological forces will unleash a new disaster.

Tangkuban Perahu, a smouldering 2,076-metre (6,933 foot) mountain near the city of Bandung on Java island, began rumbling overnight, prompting scientists to raise the alarm and declare the summit around the open crater off limits.