Malang: Mount Semeru, located on the border of Lumajang and Malang Regencies, East Java, erupted with a volcanic ash column reaching 500 meters above the summit on Saturday at 06:10 a.m. Jakarta time.
According to reports from the Mount Semeru observation post officer, Liswanto, the mountain, which stands at 3,676 meters above sea level, erupted twice on Saturday, at 05:11 a.m. and 06:10 a.m.
He mentioned that the observed volcanic ash column ranged from white to gray with moderate intensity towards the north.
Meanwhile, during the eruption at 05:11 a.m., the volcanic ash column was recorded at a height of 400 meters above the summit or 4,076 meters above sea level. The ash column observed ranged from white to gray with moderate intensity towards the northeast.
Mount Semeru is still on alert status or level III. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry recommends that people refrain from engaging in activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan, up to 13 km from the summit (the eruption center).
Beyond that, people are advised not to carry out activities within 500 meters from the riverbanks (river boundaries) along Besuk Kobokan, as they are at risk of pyroclastic flows and lahars (volcanic mudflow) up to 17 km from the summit.
