Mount Semeru, which is located in Lumajang Regency, East Java, experienced an eruption early morning, Sunday (4/12/2022). Nearly 2,000 people were evacuated after the Semeru eruption in Indonesia, sending volcanic ash 15 kilometres into the air, officials said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties from the Semeru eruption, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Transport said air travel was unaffected, although a warning notice was sent to two regional airports.
“Most of the roads have been closed since this real vs fake rolex yachtmaster morning and now it is raining volcanic ash, obscuring the view of the mountains,” community volunteer, Bayu Deny Alfianto, said.
Thousands of People Were Evacuated
Java’s highest peak, Mount Semeru, erupted last year, killing more than 50 people and displacing thousands.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said 1,979 people were being held in 11 shelters, with authorities distributing masks to residents.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency, which had initially warned about the volcano’s potential to trigger a tsunami, said the volcano’s plume reached a height of 15 kilometers (50,000 feet).
The eruption, 400 miles (640 km) east of the capital Jakarta, follows a series of earthquakes in West Java, including last month’s quake that killed more than 300 people.
Also read: Mount Bromo: Hiking Guide and Best Spot to Visit
The Community Can Not Move Within a Radius of 5 KM
In addition, the community is also asked not to move within a radius of 5 km from the crater or top of Mount Semeru, because it is prone to the danger of throwing stones (incandescent).
The public is also asked to be aware of the potential for hot cloud fall (APG), lava avalanches, and lava along rivers or valleys that disgorge at the top of Mount Semeru.
The PVMBG chief, Hendra Gunawan, said that this post compared to previous volcanic eruptions, large amounts of magma may have accumulated in 2021 and 2020, which could pose greater risks to wider areas.
In a video sent to Reuters by local police, villagers were seen walking away from the slopes of the volcano, with some stacking on their bikes. The damaged bridge was also covered with volcanic ash.
With 142 volcanoes, Indonesia has 8.6 million people living within 10 kilometers (6 miles) of the volcanoes. This is the world’s largest population living near a volcano.
The deadly tremor that hit West Java in late November was magnitude 5.6, but at a shallow depth. A 6.1-magnitude quake hit deeper on Saturday, causing people to flee buildings but causing no major damage or casualties.
