Indonesia’s highest peak on Java island, Mount Semeru, erupted on Wednesday, covering several villages with ash, leading to evacuations and the alert level being raised to its highest point. The volcano in East Java province released scorching clouds of ash, along with a mix of rock, lava, and gas, traveling up to seven kilometers down its slopes multiple times from midday to dusk. Indonesia’s Geology Agency reported that a thick column of hot clouds soared two kilometers into the air.
Throughout the day, the eruptions prompted authorities to elevate the volcano’s alert level twice, from the third-highest level to the highest. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported. Over 300 residents from the most at-risk villages in the Lumajang district were evacuated to government shelters, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
The heightened volcanic activity on Wednesday afternoon led to an expanded danger zone of eight kilometers from the crater. People were advised to steer clear of an area along the Besuk Kobokan River, the route of the lava flow. Social media videos showed a dense ash cloud sweeping through a forested valley towards a river beneath a bridge, prompting residents to seek refuge in temporary shelters or safer areas.
Local media coverage mentioned the challenges faced by authorities in rescuing approximately 178 individuals stranded at the Ranu Kumbolo monitoring post on the 3,676-meter mountain. The group, including climbers, porters, guides, and tourism officials, is currently safe at the monitoring post, located 4.5 kilometers from the crater on the mountain’s northern slope. Bad weather conditions forced them to spend the night there.
Mount Semeru, also known as Mahameru, has a history of eruptions over the past two centuries. Its last significant eruption in December 2021 resulted in 51 fatalities and severe injuries to hundreds of individuals in villages buried under mud layers, leading to the evacuation of over 10,000 people. The government relocated about 2,970 houses out of the danger zone. Indonesia, with over 280 million inhabitants, is situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” making it susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic disturbances.