Mount Semeru Eruption, Hot Cloud Launches as Far as 4 Km

Mount Semeru erupts accompanied by hot clouds with a glide distance of 4 km on Thursday (2/7/2026). ANTARA/HO-PVMBG

LUMAJANG - Mount Semeru on the border of Lumajang and Malang Regencies, East Java, erupted accompanied by a hot cloud slide as far as 4 kilometers on Thursday afternoon.

"There has been an eruption of Mount Semeru, at 16.37 WIB with the height of the observed eruption column of about 1,500 meters above the peak or 5,176 meters above sea level (msl)," said Mount Semeru Observation Post Officer, Liswanto in a written report reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 2.

He said the observed ash column was white to gray with medium intensity and inclined to the southeast and the eruption was recorded in the seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a duration of about 6 minutes 40 seconds.

"When the eruption occurred, there was a hot cloud with a glide distance of 4 km towards Besuk Kobokan and the eruption was still going on when the report was being made," he said.

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

"Outside this distance, the public should also 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 km from the peak," he said.

The public is also not allowed to carry out activities within a radius of 5 km from the crater/peak of Mount Semeru because they are prone to the danger of stone throwing (pijar).

The public is also asked to be aware of the potential for hot clouds, lava ejection, and lahar along the river/valley streams upstream of the peak of Mount Semeru.

"Especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat and the potential for lava on small rivers which are tributaries of Besuk Kobokan," said Liswanto.