Living through a volcanic eruption: Understanding the experience of survivors as a phenomenological existential phenomenon.
Mount Merapi in Indonesia is the most active volcano in the world with its 4-6-year eruption cycle. The mountain and surrounding areas are populated by hundreds of thousands of people who live near the volcano despite the danger posed to their wellbeing. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of people who survived the most recent eruption of Mount Merapi, which took place in 2010. Investigators conducted interviews with 20 participants to generate textual data that were coded and themed. Three themes linked to the phenomenological existential experience (temporality and relationality) of living through a volcanic eruption emerged from the data. These themes were: connectivity, disconnection and reconnection. Results indicate that the close relationship individuals have with Mount Merapi and others in their neighbourhood outweighs the risk of living in the shadow of an active volcano. This is the first study to analyze the phenomenological existential elements of living through a volcanic eruption.
['Warsini|Sri|S|', 'Mills|Jane|J|', 'West|Caryn|C|', 'Usher|Kim|K|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D004190:Disasters D005086:Existentialism D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007214:Indonesia D007407:Interviews as Topic D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D017741:Survivors D018707:Volcanic Eruptions
volcanic eruption phenomenology lived experience temporality disaster qualitative research