Mount Semeru Eruption With Abu Colon As High As 1.3 Kilometers

Mount Semeru erupted from the Semeru Volcano Observation Post on Mount Sawur, Lumajang Regency, Friday (2/1/2024). (ANTARA/HO-PVMBG)

Mount Semeru, which is on the border of Lumajang Regency with Malang, East Java, has erupted again with an eruption height of 1.3 kilometers above the peak.

"There was an eruption of Mount Semeru on Friday, February 2, 2024, at 15:21 WIB, with an eruption column height of about 1,300 meters above the peak or 4,976 meters above sea level," said Semeru Volcano Observation Post officer Sigit Rian Alfian as reported by ANTARA, Friday, February 2.

According to him, the volcanic ash column of the mountain which has a height of 3,676 meters above sea level (masl) was observed to be gray with thick intensity to the northeast.

"The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 23 mm and a duration of 124 seconds. Volcanic ash moved to the northeast in gray color. The intensity of volcanic ash was observed to be thick," he said.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has also set a notification for flight safety (VONA/Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation) at orange status.

This status indicates a potential eruption and asks airlines to be more vigilant and orange is also defined as an eruption with a code that has the potential to endanger flights, so each aircraft must avoid the area around the mountain.

In his written report, the Mount Semeru Observation Post Officer on Mount Sawur Lumajang appealed to the public not to carry out any activities in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan, as far as 13 km from the summit.

Beyond that distance, people are 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 a distance of 17 km from the summit.

The community is also prohibited from doing activities within a 5 km radius of the crater/peak of Mount Semeru because it is prone to the danger of throwing stones (lightning).

Then be aware of the potential for hot clouds, lava avalanches, and lahars along rivers/valleys that originate at the peak of the Semeru Volcano, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat as well as the potential for lahars in small rivers that are tributaries from Besuk Kobokan.