Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s most active and dangerous volcano, erupted again this week in the latest in a string of disasters to hit the region since Oct. 25.

According to eyewitness reports from the BBC, the volcano spewed ash and gas as high as 3 miles into the sky Tuesday. View photo slideshows of the disasters and aftermath here and here.

Aljazeera's Asia Pacific bureau reported displaced people fled shelters in a panic following a new eruption three times as powerful as last month's disasters.

Relief organizations have mobilized in a mass effort to help locate the missing and assist thousands of displaced people now living in poor sanitary and health conditions, according to this emergency plan from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

According to that plan, the American Red Cross is among at least 15 partners in the country prepared to provide water and sanitation, shelter materials and other support to roughly 85,000 displaced people in the region. Many other non-governmental organizations, private companies and other entities have provided donations like basic medicines and instant noodles.

The effort follows an earthquake, tsunami and three volcanic eruptions that hit the region beginning Oct. 25.

According to the federation, at least 34 people have died as the result of eruptions Oct. 26 and Nov. 1, and 345 animals died due to the flow of lava from the mountain, called the Mountain of Fire in Indonesian/Javanese. Now, the decaying carcasses of animals are posing a health risk. Volcanologists expect further eruptions, possibly for months or longer, according to the federation’s report.

Separately, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit the Mentawai Islands off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia Oct. 25 claimed at least 449 lives and displaced almost 15,000 people.

Juliana Keeping is a health and environment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter