Mount Semeru Erupts Again This Afternoon, Unleashing 4 km Pyroclastic Flow

Mount Semeru, located on the border of Lumajang and Malang regencies in East Java, erupted this afternoon, accompanied by a pyroclastic flow that travelled 4 kilometres. “An eruption of Mount Semeru occurred at 16.37 WIB, with an observed eruption column height of approximately 1,500 metres above the summit, or 5,176 metres above sea level,” said Mount Semeru Observation Post officer Liswanto, as reported by Antara on Thursday (2/7/2026). He stated that the ash column was observed to be white to grey in colour with moderate intensity, leaning towards the southeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a temporary duration of around 6 minutes and 40 seconds. “During the eruption, a pyroclastic flow occurred with a glide distance of 4 km towards Besuk Kobokan, and the eruption was still ongoing at the time this report was being made,” he said. Currently, the volcanic activity of Mount Semeru is at Level III, or Alert status. The public is urged not to conduct any activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan, as far as 13 km from the summit. “Beyond that distance, the public must also not conduct activities within 500 metres of the riverbank along Besuk Kobokan, as there is a potential for being affected by the expansion of pyroclastic flows and lahar flows up to a distance of 17 km from the summit,” he said. The public is also prohibited from conducting activities within a 5 km radius of the crater or summit of Mount Semeru due to the danger of ejected incandescent rocks. Residents are asked to be aware of the potential for pyroclastic flows, lava avalanches, and lahars along the river channels and valleys originating from the summit of Mount Semeru. “Especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat, as well as the potential for lahars in small streams that are tributaries of Besuk Kobokan,” he said.