Wednesday Morning Semeru Erupted 5 Times, Eruption Column Reached 1,000 Meters

LUMAJANG - Mount Semeru, which is on the border of Lumajang and Malang Regencies, East Java, has recorded five eruptions with an eruption height of 400 meters to 1,000 meters above the peak on Wednesday, February 11 morning.

The first eruption occurred at 00.28 WIB with the height of the observed eruption column about 600 meters above the peak and the ash column was observed to be white to gray with medium intensity towards the north. When the report was made, the eruption was still ongoing.

"The eruption with the highest eruption reaching 1,000 meters above the peak occurred at 05.36 WIB with a white to gray ash column with medium intensity towards the northeast. When the report was made, the eruption was still going on," said Mount Semeru Observation Post Officer, Liswanto, quoted by Antara.

Mount Semeru experienced its fifth eruption at 08.06 WIB with an unobservable eruption. The eruption was recorded on the seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a duration of 125 seconds.

He explained that Mount Semeru was in the Level III (Alert) volcanic activity status, so the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) provided a number of recommendations, namely that the public should not carry out any activities in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan, as far as 13 kilometers from the peak (center of the eruption).

Outside this distance, he said, people should not carry out activities at a distance of 500 meters from the river bank (river border) along Besuk Kobokan because they have the potential to be hit by the expansion of the hot cloud and lava flow up to a distance of 17 kilometers from the peak.

"The public is also prohibited from carrying out activities within a radius of 5 kilometers from the crater/peak of Mount Semeru, because they are prone to the danger of stone throwing (pijar)," he said.

The public needs to be aware of the potential for hot clouds, lava flows, and lahar along the river/valley streams upstream of the summit of Mount Semeru, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat, as well as the potential for lahar in small rivers that are tributaries of Besuk Kobokan.