Mount Semeru Erupted 6 Times with Eruption Height up to 1.3 Km

JAKARTA - Mount Semeru on the border of Lumajang and Malang Regencies, East Java, experienced six eruptions with an eruption height of up to 1.3 kilometers above the peak on Friday.

The first eruption occurred at 06.29 WIB with the height of the observed eruption column about 1.1 km above the peak and the ash column was observed to be white to gray with a thick intensity towards the southwest, the eruption was recorded on the seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a duration of 165 seconds.

"The second eruption occurred at 07.39 WIB with the height of the observed eruption column about 1.3 km above the peak and the ash column was observed to be white to gray with medium intensity towards the north and northeast," said Mount Semeru Observation Post Officer, Liswanto in a written report, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, July 10.

Then Semeru erupted again at 08.57 WIB with the height of the observed eruption column about 1.2 km above the peak and the ash column was observed to be white to gray with medium intensity towards the northeast.

The fourth eruption occurred at 09.29 WIB and the fifth at 09.54 WIB with the height of the observed eruption column about 500 meters above the peak.

"At 10.02 WIB, the height of the eruption column was observed at around 800 meters above the peak and the ash column was observed to be white to gray with medium intensity towards the south," he said.

He explained that currently the volcanic activity of Mount Semeru is at Level III Status (Alert) with the recommendation that the public not carry out any activities in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan as far as 13 kilometers from the peak (eruption center).

Outside this distance, he said, the public does 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 prohibited from carrying out activities within a radius of five kilometers from the crater/peak of Mount Semeru because they are prone to the danger of stone throwing (pijar)," he said.

He asked the public to be aware of the potential for hot clouds, lava discharge, 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 which are tributaries of Besuk Kobokan," said Liswanto.