Video | Indonesia volcano victims overwhelm hospital

With just a few beds in the only burn unit in town, doctors have been forced to turn people away. Some of those receiving care have clothes, blankets and even mattresses fused to their skin.

A surge of searing gas also raced down the sides of Mount Merapi at highway speeds on Friday, setting houses and trees ablaze and blackening the bodies of those caught in its path.

The eruption has raised the number of casualties Oct. 26 to 118 and sent thousands more into already crowded emergency shelters in the shadow of the volcano.

It continued to rumble and groan Saturday, spitting grey clouds of ash and gas high into the air.

The worst hit village of Bronggang lay nine miles (15 kilometers) from the fiery crater, just on the perimeter of the government-delineated "danger zone."

The zone has since been expanded to a ring 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the peak, bringing it to the edge of the ancient royal capital of Yogyakarta, which has been put on its highest alert.

Poor visibility from ash showers snarled traffic and forced the closure of the city's airport for a second day.