Volcano Mahameru Eruption in the Southeast Asian nation Prompts Evacuations
Indonesia's Semeru volcano, the highest peak on the island of Java, has erupted, covering several villages with falling ash, leading to evacuations and leading authorities to raise the warning to the maximum level.
The volcano in East Java province released blistering plumes of hot ash and a mixture of rock, lava and gas that moved up to 4 miles down its slopes several times from midday to dusk, while a thick column of fiery clouds rose 1.2 miles into the sky, according to the nation's geological authority.
The outbursts that occurred throughout the day compelled authorities to raise the mountain's warning status on two occasions, from the third-highest level to the top level, the agency said. No deaths or injuries have been reported.
More than 300 residents in the three communities most endangered in the district of Lumajang region were evacuated to government shelters, according to a spokesperson for the national disaster mitigation agency.
He said that increased activity of the mountain on Wednesday afternoon prompted authorities to expand the danger zone to 8km from the crater. People were advised to stay clear from an zone along the Besuk Kobokan River, which is the route of the molten rock stream, as scorching gases moved down Semeru’s slopes.
Videos on online platforms showed a thick plume of ash sweeping through a wooded ravine to a river beneath a bridge. Residents, some with faces covered with volcanic dust and water, escaped to temporary shelters or left for alternative secure locations.
Local media indicated that emergency teams were struggling to save about 178 people trapped on the 12,060-foot peak at the Ranu Kumbolo observation station. The group included 137 hikers, 15 carriers, seven escorts and six travel representatives, according to an spokesperson with the national park.
“They are currently safe at the Ranu Kumbolo station,” a spokesperson said in a recorded message. He noted the post was situated 2.8 miles from the crater on the north side of the mountain, which is not in the path of the fiery cloud movement that was seen traveling to the south-southeast. Inclement conditions and rain forced the group to spend the night there, he explained.
The volcano, also known as Great Mountain, has erupted numerous times in the past 200 years. However, as is the case with many of the 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, thousands of people continue to reside on its productive highlands.
The mountain's last major eruption was in December 2021, when 51 individuals were lost their lives and several hundred more were burned and settlements were submerged in thick mud. The event forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people from their houses.
The country, an archipelago of more than 280 million inhabitants, is located along the Pacific seismic belt, a horseshoe-shaped series of fault lines, and is prone to seismic events and volcanism.
