Incandescent Lava Appears On Mount Semeru, Residents Are Asked To Remain Calm

LUMAJANG - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Lumajang Regency, East Java, urged the public to remain calm and not panic with the circulation of news about Mount Semeru's activities. Mount Semeru has reportedly increased, launching incandescent lava from the Jonggring Saloko Crater over the past two days.

"We hope that the Lumajang community will remain calm, do not panic and worry, because according to the report, volcanic activity from the Mount Sawur Monitoring Post said that Mount Semeru did not erupt, because it is currently still in Alert Level II status," said the Head of Prevention, Preparedness and Logistics of Lumajang BPBD, Wawan Hadi Siswoyo, quoted by Antara, Monday, November 30.

The detection results of a seismograph (a device that measures and records earthquakes) at the Mount Sawur Monitoring Post show that there have been harmonic tremors, eruptions, and glowing lava on top of Mount Semeru since Friday, November 27.

"Mount Semeru did not erupt, but it did start on Friday (11/27) and did emit incandescent lava leading to the area of Curah Kobokan 13 times with a sliding distance from the tongue of the lava / peak of about 500-1,000 meters," he said.

Wawan Hadi said that the glide of the incandescent lava was still far from settlements, forests and areas of KRB (Disaster Prone Areas) I, II and III on Mount Semeru, but residents were advised to remain vigilant.

"I appeal to the public not to carry out activities within a radius of 1 km, and the area as far as 4 km on the south-southeast slope of the active crater, which is the area of the active crater opening of Mount Semeru as a hot cloud glide flow," said Wawan.

The public is also urged to be aware of the fall of the incandescent lava dome in Jongring Seloko Crater, so that the Lumajang BPBD continues to coordinate with Perhutani and TNBTS because it is feared that the glide of the incandescent lava will be longer.

"The glide of the incandescent lava can cause land and forest fires on the slopes of Mount Semeru, like several years ago," explained Wawan.

His party continues to coordinate intensely with Perhutani and TNBTS, by providing information to each other through a communication network to report any time on forest development and activities of Mount Semeru.

Meanwhile, the climb to Mount Semeru which has an altitude of 3,676 masl has been temporarily closed since November 30, 2020 because the mountain activity which is located on the border of Lumajang and Malang Regencies, East Java has increased.

The closure of the highest mountain climbing route in Java Island was issued by the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Center (TN-BTS) has issued an Announcement Letter Number: PG.10 / TB / BIDTEK.1 / KSA / 11/2020 concerning the Temporary Closure of Mountain Climbing Activities Semeru.