Semeru Erupts Again, Puan Emphasizes Security Priorities For Citizens And Climbers

Members of the Lumajang BPBD TRC while monitoring the launching of the Semeru hot cloud on Wednesday (19/11/2025) afternoon. BETWEEN/HO-BPBD Lumajang

JAKARTA - DPR Speaker Puan Maharani asked the government and the SAR team to prioritize the safety and security of residents in handling the Mount Semeru eruption disaster in Lumajang, East Java.

Puan said that the evacuation of residents must be carried out in a measured manner, especially residents who live around the slopes of Semeru panicked when the eruption occurred yesterday afternoon.

"The safety and security of residents must be a priority. Including for climbers who were trapped during the Semeru eruption. Make sure there are no residents around the slopes of Semeru left to be evacuated. All residents must be rescued," said Puan in her statement, Thursday, November 20.

Puan also urged that all community activities in the dangerous zone, especially in the Besuk Kobokan flow area, must be stopped immediately.

"We ask the local government and related officials to ensure that the evacuation takes place quickly, directionally, and based on the PVMBG recommendation," he said.

The PDIP legislator from the Central Java electoral district also highlighted the presence of climbers who are still being held in the Semeru area. Puan requested that the process of rescuing climbers be carried out with maximum security and full coordination in the field.

"Given the potential for further danger, the hiking trails and tourist areas around Semeru should be temporarily closed," he said.

On the other hand, Puan emphasized the importance of protection for residents in the evacuation. Local governments, said Puan, must ensure that evacuation locations are truly safe and feasible, ranging from logistics, clean water, health services, to protection for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Puan also reminded that official information from the government should be conveyed clearly, quickly, and not overlapping, so that people do not get caught up in rumors or misinformation.

"And cross-institutional coordination must be more alert. It is very important that there is an integrated response between BNPB, PVMBG, TNI/Polri, local governments, and volunteers," said Puan.

"Because when volcanic activity increases drastically, every minute is very meaningful, so coordination must run without administrative or technical barriers. So in a situation like this, synergy between agencies is not only important, but must," he continued.

Puan also invited the entire community to remain vigilant and follow the directions of the officers. "Do not enter the danger zone before it is declared safe. Make sure to pay attention to the safety of yourself and your family," he concluded.

As is known, Mount Semeru erupted again on Wednesday, November 19 afternoon and still leaves an earthquake of lava avalanches to date. The Eruption of Semeru yesterday released hot clouds of avalanches (APG) up to 13 km and resulted in an increase in status to Level IV (Awas).

Meanwhile, as many as 178 climbers were trapped in Ranu Kumbolo during the Semeru eruption. The climb was still open on Wednesday morning because the safe radius at that time was still in the range of 5-8 kilometers.

The climbers also could not immediately go down because the route was slippery, dark, and prone to landslides, so the officers decided to detain all climbers to spend the night to avoid great risks during the trip down.

After the Semeru eruption, all climbers who had been trapped in Ranu Kumbolo were confirmed to be in a safe condition and not hit by hot clouds because of the direction of the Semeru hot cloud falling towards Gladak Perak. So that Ranu Kumbolo is relatively safe without volcanic ash.

Currently, the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Center (BB TNBTS) has closed all climbing activities including the Ranu Kumbolo route as a mitigation step after PVMBG raised Semeru's status to Level IV or Alert.

This is because the potential danger of eruption is still very high and the 20 km sectoral zone south-southeast is declared at great risk.