Mount Semeru Releases Eruptions And Falls, Observation Post Officers: Visually Visible

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Mount Semeru which has a height of 3,676 meters above sea level (masl) experienced an earthquake and avalanche on Sunday at 00.00 - 06.00 western Indonesia time.

"Today, Mount Semeru is visually clear," said Yadi Yuliandi, an officer of the Mount Semeru Observation Post on Mount Sawur, in his report to PVMBG, quoted from Antara, Sunday, December 12.

The smoke from the weak pressure crater was observed to be white in color with a thick intensity and a height of 500-1000 meters above the top of the crater.

"Mount Semeru experiences earthquakes, eruptions, avalanches, gusts, and local tectonics," he said.

The eruptive earthquake was recorded twice with an amplitude of 20-21 mm for 90-95 seconds. Then two avalanches occurred with an amplitude of 3 mm for 30-45 seconds.

10 earthquake gusts were recorded with an amplitude of 3-7 mm for 35-80 seconds. Then local tectonic seismic activity was recorded once with an amplitude of 20 mm.

"The status of Mount Semeru is still at level II or alert," he said.

For this reason, he continued, the public should not move within a 1 km radius of the crater/peak of Mount Semeru and a distance of 5 km towards the crater opening in the southeast - south sector, and be wary of hot clouds avalanche, lava avalanches, and lahars along rivers/valleys which originates at the top of Mount Semeru.

The recommended radius and distance will be evaluated continuously to anticipate if there are symptoms of changes in hazard threats.

"We also need to watch out for potential slides along the Besuk Kobokan hot cloud valley," he said.

The community is also asked to be aware of the threat of lahars in the river channel/valley that originates at Mount Semeru considering the large amount of volcanic material that has been formed.

Based on data from the National Disaster Management Agency, the number of victims who died due to hot clouds falling from Mount Semeru as of Saturday (11/12) at 18.00 western Indonesia time was 46 people, 18 people seriously injured, and 11 people lightly injured.