Mount Semeru erupted on Sunday, emitting huge lava, like a river, and clouds of volcanic ash to the most populated island of the terrain of Indonesia. The eruption of the tallest volcano in Indonesia prompted almost two thousand residents to evacuate in East Java province.
Erosion and Collapse
Due to monsoon rains, a lava dome eroded and collapsed at the top of the volcano, the highest peak of which is 12,060 feet up the sea level. Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency said that the eruption followed the collapse of the lava dome.
Mount Semeru started erupting at around 3 a.m. local time on Sunday, and the nearby villages were soon covered by grey ash.
Residents Evacuated
According to the officials, more than sixty thousand people, over fifteen thousand households, and more than 162 million USD of infrastructure within ten kilometers of Mount Semeru could be affected.
As per the disaster management agency of the country, nobody has been injured or dead from the incident so far, and village halls and schools sheltered the evacuees. Over 20,000 people have been provided with face masks to eliminate respiratory problems due to volcanic ash.
The volcanic ash reached up to twelve kilometers, forcing the agency to warn the residents to stay at least seventeen kilometers away from the eruption center.
There was an alert level of four for the volcanic activity, which was the highest level, informed the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation of Indonesia.
“Ring of Fire”
Mount Semeru erupted previously in December 2021, killing fifty-one people, injuring hundreds, and leaving over ten thousand homeless.
Earthquakes and volcanic activity are common in the country of 270 million people, as the archipelago is located near the “Ring of Fire.”
Mount Semeru is the tallest and most active volcano on Java.
