Merapi and earthquakes

First of I want to start this post saying that I feel very sorry for the people who have suffered from the earthquakes and volcanic eruption in Indonesia and the areas around them.

As geophysicst I find this entire situation kind of interesting and not least the fact that we have not been able to predict this situation very well.
It is the first time I am aware that there is such a direct connection between a volcanic eruption like the one happening at Merapi and the strong earthquakes that has been happening. With the other volcanic eruptions in my life time that i remember there has not been these strong earthquakes ... or at least they have not done all that much damage.

What is happening in the underground below Merapi would be very interesting to study closer. I guess it would require quite big investigations to be able to detect exactly what is going on.

It is kind of awkward that it takes disasters and human suffering like this one to make me again become interested in what I am studying at university, it makes me feel a bit guilty.