Semeru Erupts Again, Throwing Ash As High As 800 Meters

Mount Semeru on the border of Lumajang Regency with Malang, East Java. (Antara)

JATIM - Mount Semeru erupted again on Tuesday 14 February at 05.27 WIB. The mountain on the border of Lumajang Regency and Malang, East Java (East Java) spewed a column of ash 800 meters from the top.

"The column of ash was observed to be white to gray with moderate to thick intensity to the north. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 20 mm and a duration of 101 seconds," said the Semeru Volcano Observation Post Officer on Mount Sawur, Ghufron Alwi, in his written report. , Tuesday 14 February, confiscated by Antara.

He explained, based on seismic observations on 14 February 2023 at 00.00-06.00 WIB, Mount Semeru recorded 19 earthquakes with amplitudes of 12-22 mm.

Then two earthquakes with an amplitude of 4-5 mm, three times with an amplitude of 4-9 mm, five times with an amplitude of 2-5 mm, and one far tectonic earthquake with an amplitude of 14 mm.

For seismic observations at 06.00-12.00 WIB, there were 20 eruption earthquakes with an amplitude of 18-22 mm, three times a gust earthquake with an amplitude of 3-6 mm, and one harmonic with an amplitude of 18 mm.

Mount Semeru is still in Alert status or level III, so people are urged to comply with a number of recommendations that have been submitted by the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG).

The community is prohibited from carrying out any activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan as far as 13 km from the peak (the eruption center).

Beyond this distance, the community is also not allowed to carry out activities at a distance of 500 meters from the riverbank (river border) along Besuk Kobokan because it has the potential to be affected by the expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to the distance of 17 km from the summit.

"The community is also advised not to move within a radius of 5 km from the crater/top of Mount Semeru because it is prone to the danger of throwing stones (incandescent)," he said.

In addition, he continued, the public was also advised to be aware of the potential for hot cloud fall (APG), lava avalanches, and lava along rivers/valleys that disgorge at the top of Mount Semeru.

"Especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat as well as the potential for lava in small rivers which are tributaries of Besuk Kobokan," he stated.