Semeru Erupts Five Times with Eruption Heights up to 1,000 Metres
The eruption was recorded by a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 17 mm and duration of 109 seconds. Lumajang, East Java (ANTARA) - Mount Semeru, located on the border of Lumajang and Malang regencies in East Java, erupted five times on Tuesday morning with eruption heights ranging from 600 to 1,000 metres above the summit.
“First eruption occurred at 1:05 AM WIB with an ash column height of approximately 600 metres above the summit,” said Mount Semeru Observation Post Officer Sigit Rian Alfian in a written report received in Lumajang.
He noted the ash column was observed in white to grey with thick intensity towards the west, and the eruption was recorded by a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 21 mm and duration of 128 seconds.
The second eruption happened at 5:31 AM WIB with an ash column height of about 900 metres above the summit, with white to grey ash column of thick intensity towards the west, recorded by a seismograph with maximum amplitude of 12 mm and duration of 122 seconds.
The highest mountain in Java erupted again at 5:54 AM WIB with an ash column height of about 800 metres above the summit, or 4,476 metres above sea level (asl).
The ash column was observed in white to grey with thick intensity towards the west, and the eruption was recorded by a seismograph with maximum amplitude of 13 mm and duration of 122 seconds.
“Fourth eruption occurred at 6:28 AM WIB with an ash column height of approximately 1,000 metres above the summit, with white to grey ash column of thick intensity towards the southwest and west,” he said.
He added the eruption was recorded by a seismograph with maximum amplitude of 17 mm and duration of 109 seconds.
Two hours later, Mount Semeru erupted again at 8:37 AM WIB with an ash column height of about 700 metres above the summit, and the ash column was observed in white to grey with thick intensity towards the northwest.
“The eruption was recorded by a seismograph with maximum amplitude of 22 mm and duration of 142 seconds,” he said.
Sigit explained that the current volcanic activity of Mount Semeru is at Level III (Caution) status, with recommendations for the public not to carry out any activities in the southeast sector along the Besuk Kobokan river, within 13 kilometres from the summit (eruption centre).
Outside this distance, he added, the public should not conduct activities within 500 metres of the riverbanks along the Besuk Kobokan due to potential threats from pyroclastic flows and lahar flows extending up to 17 kilometres from the summit.
“The public is prohibited from activities within a 5-kilometre radius of Semeru’s crater/summit due to the risk of rock ejections (incandescent fragments),” he said.
He urged residents to be cautious of potential pyroclastic flows, lava avalanches, and lahars along river valleys originating from the summit.
“Especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat, as well as potential lahars in smaller tributary rivers of Besuk Kobokan,” he said.