Remember Yes, Mount Semeru Is Totally Closed Until March 31, 2021

Mount Semeru (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Center (BB-TNBTS) has decided to completely close the ascent of Mount Semeru, in East Java, until March 31, 2021.

Acting Head of TNBTS Center Agus Budi Santosa said the total closure took into account climatological conditions as well as increased rainfall, and the possibility of storms, which could endanger the safety of climbers.

"The activity of climbing Mount Semeru is totally closed until March 31, 2021," said Agus, in Malang City, East Java, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, December 30.

Agus explained, the decision to completely close the Mount Semeru ascent took into account things that had been predicted by the Karangploso Climatology Station and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), such as an increase in rainfall, and others.

According to Agus, on November 29, 2020, his party has issued Announcement Number PG.10 / T.8 / BIDTEK.1 / KSA11 / 2020 concerning the Temporary Closure of Mount Semeru Climbing Activities. However, finally the TNBTS Center decided to completely close the climb after considering the current weather conditions.

"This closure also aims to restore and revitalize the Semeru ecosystem," said Agus.

It is recorded, based on data from the TNBTS Center, there are 4,763 climbers who have to reschedule, following the total closure of Mount Semeru.

The temporary closure of the previous Semeru climb was carried out on November 30, 2020, due to increased activity of the mountain which has a height of 3,676 meters above sea level (masl).

At that time, the highest mountain on the island of Java erupted and emitted incandescent lava, with a sliding distance of up to 1,000 meters. As a result of this increased activity, hundreds of residents living on the slopes of Mount Semeru, in Lumajang Regency, East Java, had to evacuate.

The climb of Mount Semeru was recently opened by the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (BB-TNBTS) Center on October 1, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, the climb of Semeru had only been closed for about a year, due to forest fires in 2019, and the Corona virus pandemic.