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Mt. Semeru erupts again, sends ash columns 1 km into sky
The 3,676-meter-high volcano has erupted more than 100 times since the beginning of the year, with 43 of those eruptions occurring on Tuesday alone.
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Mount Semeru spews thick ash on Dec. 4, 2022., in Lumajang, East Java. (AFP/Agus Harianto)
M
ount Semeru, located on the border between Lumajang and Malang in East Java, erupted several times on Thursday, spewing columns of ash into the air and prompting authorities to warn residents to stay away from the eruption area.
Data from the Semeru Observation Post in Lumajang showed that the volcano had erupted three times between midnight and 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, with ash columns varying in height between 500 meters and 1,000 m above the mountain’s summit.
“The first eruption occurred at 02:47 a.m. and the plume reached 1,000 meters above the peak. The seismic record showed a maximum amplitude of 22 [millimeters] with a duration of 115 seconds," Semeru Observation Post official Mukdas Sofian said, as reported by Kompas.
Two other eruptions occurred at around 04:00 a.m. and 07:00 a.m. with lower ash columns of 500 and 600 meters high respectively.
Authorities have maintained Mt. Semeru's status at Level II for Waspada (advisory) on the four-tier volcano alert system, and advised people to avoid activities within a southeastern area stretching 8 km to the Besuk Kobokan River, the projected path of the lava flow.
Officials also cautioned the public to stay clear of areas within 500 meters of the river because of the potential for pyroclastic clouds and lahars that could extend up to 13 kilometers from the summit.
Additionally, residents are prohibited from engaging in any activities within a 3-km radius of the summit because of the risk of falling rocks.
