Ascent Of Mount Semeru Has Been Closed Since November 30th Due To Increased Activity

A number of climbers are on the hiking trail of Mount Semeru (Zumrotun Solichah / Antar)

JAKARTA - The climb to Mount Semeru, which has an altitude of 3,676 meters above sea level, has been temporarily closed since November 30, 2020 because the mountain activity which is located on the border of Lumajang and Malang Regencies, East Java has increased.

The closure of the highest mountain climbing route on the island of Java is based on the announcement of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Center number PG.10 / T.8 / BIDTEK / BIDTEK.1 / KSA / 11/2020 which was signed by the Acting Head of Balai Besar Agus Budi Santoso on Sunday .

"The closure takes into account the development of Mount Semeru's volcanic activity based on a report submitted by the Semeru Volcano Post on Mount Sawur, Lumajang Regency as of November 28, 2020," said Acting Head of the Great Center Agus Budi Santoso as quoted by Antara, Monday, November 30.

On Saturday, November 28, three times eruptive activity was observed with a smoke height of about 100 meters and a thick white smoke leaning towards the southwest.

"Visually, there were also 13 times of avalanche and incandescent lava with a sliding distance of about 500-1000 m from the tip of the lava tongue towards the direction of visiting kobokan (tip of the tongue of lava is approximately 500 meters from the peak with a recorded amplitude of 12 mm, earthquake duration of 1.994 seconds," he said.

Based on this, he continued, TNBTS was also aware of the fall of the lava dome in the Jonggring Saloko crater, and prioritized the safety of the climbers.

"For this reason, the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Center has temporarily closed the activity of climbing Mount Semeru in total from November 30, 2020 until an undetermined time limit," he said.

Mount Semeru again spewed avalanches and incandescent lava for the second time on Saturday, November 28, with a further glide distance than the previous incandescent lava slide on Friday, November 27.

The status of Mount Semeru is at level II or alert, so that people are advised not to carry out activities within a 4 kilometer radius on the south-southeast slope sector of the active crater which is the area of the active crater opening of Mount Semeru (Jongring Seloko) as a hot cloud glide.

Previously, the climb to Mount Semeru was opened on October 1, which coincided with Pancasila Power Day and the climb applied very strict health protocols.

The highest quota on the island of Java is limited to a maximum quota of 120 people per day and to purchase tickets via online booking on the bookingsemeru.bromotenggersemeru.org site with climbing days of two days and one night.