Mount Semeru Erupts, Ash Column Reaches 700 Meters Above Summit

Gunung Semeru erupted Thursday morning, sending an ash column as high as $700$ meters above its summit, according to Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency.

Semeru, which straddles the border of Lumajang and Malang regencies in East Java, erupted at $7:20$ a.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB), with the eruption column observed at around $700$ meters above the peak, or $4,376$ meters above sea level, Semeru Observation Post officer Mukdas Sofian said in a written report received in Lumajang on Thursday.

He said the ash plume appeared white to gray and was thick, drifting to the southeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of $22$ millimeters and a duration of $115$ seconds.

Earlier, the highest volcano on Java erupted at $4:47$ a.m. WIB, producing an ash column about $500$ meters above the summit, or $4,176$ meters above sea level.

“The ash column was gray and thick, drifting to the southeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of $20$ millimeters and a duration of $123$ seconds,” he said.

Semeru remains at Level III (Siaga), or Alert, prompting the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) to reiterate a series of safety recommendations. Residents are prohibited from carrying out any activities in the volcano’s southeastern sector along the Besuk Kobokan river channel within a $13$-kilometer radius from the summit (the eruption center).

Outside that zone, he said, people should also stay at least $500$ meters away from riverbanks along Besuk Kobokan, as pyroclastic flows and lahar could extend up to $17$ kilometers from the summit.

“Residents are also banned from activities within a $5$-kilometer radius of the crater or summit, due to the risk of rockfall and ejected incandescent material,” he said.

Authorities urged communities to remain vigilant for potential pyroclastic flows, lava avalanches and lahars along river channels and valleys originating from Semeru’s summit, particularly Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar and Besuk Sat, as well as the risk of lahars in smaller tributaries connected to Besuk Kobokan.

Indonesianpost.com | Antara