SURABAYA: Mount Semeru, a volcano on Indonesia’s main island of Java, erupted on Wednesday, sending ash and gas kilometres into the sky and prompting authorities to raise the alert level to its highest status. The eruption occurred at 2:13 pm local time (0713 GMT), producing pyroclastic flows, officials said.
Read More: Indonesia issues highest alert as mount Semeru erupts
Muhammad Wafid, head of Indonesia’s geological agency, warned the public to avoid activities within an 8-kilometre radius of the crater due to the risk of being hit by ejected rocks. Thick fog around the mountain made precise measurements challenging, but the plume of ash is estimated to have risen up to 8.5 kilometres into the atmosphere.
Seismic activity at Mount Semeru remains high, according to the geological agency. As of now, there have been no reports of casualties or evacuations, and flights at Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport are operating normally.
Mount Semeru’s 2021 eruption was far deadlier, killing more than 50 people and destroying over 5,000 homes, while nearly 10,000 residents were forced to flee. Authorities continue to monitor the volcano closely due to its potential for destructive pyroclastic flows and ash fallout.
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Indonesia lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of intense volcanic and seismic activity caused by the movement of tectonic plates. The archipelago is home to nearly 130 active volcanoes, making such eruptions a frequent natural hazard.