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Mt. Semeru erupts again, triggers ashfall in three districts
Semeru has been showing heightened volcanic activity since November of last year. The 3,676-meter-high volcano erupted 475 times in January alone, with an average of 15 eruptions per day.
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Mount Semeru spews thick ash in Lumajang on Dec. 4, 2022.
(AFP/Agus Harianto)
M
ount Semeru, located on the border between Lumajang and Malang in East Java, erupted dozens of times over the past few days, sending ash columns and triggering ashfall on villages around the volcano.
Data from the Semeru observation post in Lumajang showed that the volcano had erupted three times between midnight and 3 a.m. on Friday. The mountain spewed thick grayish ash columns between 500 and 700 meters above the summit, which drifted to the north.
Semeru observation post official Mukdas Sofian said that the volcano also erupted 55 times on Thursday.
"However, we could not observe all of the ash columns because the mountain's summit was obscured by fog," Mukdas said as quoted by Kompas.
Mukdas cautioned the public to stay clear of areas within 500 m of the Besuk Kobokan River, the projected path of any lava flow, because of the potential for pyroclastic clouds and lahar that could extend up to 13 kilometers from the summit.
Additionally, residents are prohibited from engaging in any activities within an 8 km radius of the summit because of the risk of falling rocks.
In addition to Besuk Kobokan, residents have been warned to be alert for potential pyroclastic clouds, lava or lahar along the Besuk Kembar and Besuk Sat rivers and their tributaries.
