adminLUMAJANG (East Java: Mount Semeru in Indonesia, which is located on the border of Lumajang and Malang districts in East Java, erupted on Thursday morning spewing a column of ash 700 meters high from its peak, Antara News Agency reported.
“Mount Semeru erupted on Thursday at 7.20am (local time). The observed eruption column reached about 700 metres above the summit, or 4,376 metres above sea level,” said Mount Semeru Observation Post officer Mukdas Sofian.
He said the thick ash column was white to grey in colour and moving towards the southeast.
The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22 millimeters and a duration of 115 seconds.
The eruption followed an earlier eruption at 4.47am (local time) which produced an ash column 500 metres high and lasted for 123 seconds with an amplitude of 20 millimetres.
Mount Semeru is currently at Warning Level III.
Accordingly, the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) prohibits all activities in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan within 13 kilometers from the summit.
In addition, the public is advised to stay away from the riverbanks along Besuk Kobokan for at least 500 metres due to the risk of hot cloud flows and lava flows which can reach up to 17 kilometres from the peak.
“The public is also prohibited from carrying out any activities within a five-kilometre radius of the crater or peak of Mount Semeru due to the risk of stone throwing,” he added.
In addition, the public is asked to always be alert to the risk of hot cloud flows and lava flows along rivers and valleys originating from the peak of Mount Semeru, especially Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar and Besuk Sat, as well as the possibility of lava in small rivers that flow into Besuk Kobokan.
— BERNAMA
