Semeru Erupts Repeatedly, with Ash Plumes Reaching 1 km
Lumajang, East Java (ANTARA) – Mount Semeru, which stands 3,676 metres above sea level, erupted repeatedly from 6.30pm to 8pm on Monday, with five eruptions recorded and plumes reaching up to 1 kilometre high.
The eruption of Java’s highest volcano was recorded at 6.35pm, with the ash column observed at around 700 metres above the summit. The ash was white to grey, of moderate intensity, and drifting south-west.
“A few minutes later, at 6.41pm, another eruption occurred, with the volcanic ash column observed at around 600 metres above the summit,” said Liswanto, an officer at the Mount Semeru Observation Post, in a written report in Lumajang.
The ash column was white to grey, of moderate intensity, and drifting south-west. At the time the report was issued, the eruption was still ongoing.
Mount Semeru erupted again at 7.44pm, with an ash column observed at around 700 metres above the summit. The ash was white to grey, of moderate intensity, and drifting west. The eruption was still ongoing when the report was issued.
“At 7.55pm, Mount Semeru erupted with a column observed at 800 metres above the summit. The ash was white to grey, of moderate intensity, and drifting west. The eruption was still ongoing when the report was issued,” he said.
Mount Semeru, which lies on the border of Lumajang and Malang regencies, erupted again at 8.08pm. The plume was higher than those recorded earlier, reaching 1 kilometre above the summit, with white-to-grey ash of moderate intensity drifting west. The eruption was still ongoing at the time of the report.
He explained that Mount Semeru’s volcanic activity is currently at Level III, or Alert. Under this alert status, people are advised against outdoor activities, particularly in the south-eastern sector along Besuk Kobokan, up to 13 kilometres from the summit, the centre of the eruption.
“Beyond that distance, people must also avoid activities within 500 metres of the riverbanks along Besuk Kobokan, as pyroclastic flows and lahars could extend as far as 17 kilometres from the summit,” he said.
People are also prohibited from entering a 5-kilometre radius around Mount Semeru’s crater and summit because of the risk of being struck by volcanic rocks.
He urged residents to remain alert to the potential for pyroclastic flows, lava avalanches and lahars along rivers and valleys originating at the summit of Mount Semeru.
“This applies especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar and Besuk Sat, as well as to the risk of lahars in smaller rivers that feed into Besuk Kobokan,” Liswanto said.