Mount Semeru Erupts 600 Meters Above the Peak

Mount Semeru when there was an eruption on Wednesday (8/5/2024) at 06.53 WIB. (LATARA/HO-PVMBG).

LUMAJANG - Mount Semeru, which is on the border of Lumajang Regency and Malang, East Java, erupted with an eruption height of 600 meters above the peak on Wednesday, May at 06.53 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB).

"An eruption of Mount Semeru occurred today, May 8 2024, at 06.53a.m.  WIB. The height of the eruption column was observed to be around 600 meters above the peak or 4,276 meters above sea level," said Mount Semeru Observation Post Officer Ghufron Alwi in a written statement received at Lumajang, quoted from ANTARA, Wednesday, May 8.

According to him, the volcanic ash column was observed to be white to gray in color with thick intensity towards the northeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a duration of 112 seconds.

Based on data from the Mount Semeru Observation Post, the number of Mount Semeru eruptions that have been recorded is 224 times in the period 1 January to 8 May 2024 until 09.00 a.m. WIB.

Mount Semeru still has Alert status or Level III, so the PVMBG recommends that the public not carry out any activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan, as far as 13 km from the peak (center of the eruption).

Then beyond this distance, people do not carry out activities within 500 meters of the river bank (river border) along Besuk Kobokan, because they have the potential to be affected by the expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to a distance of 17 km from the peak.

Then residents are also prohibited from carrying out activities within a 5 km radius of the crater/top of Semeru Volcano because it is prone to the danger of throwing rocks (flare).

The public is also asked to be aware of the potential for hot clouds, lava avalanches and lahars along rivers/valleys that originate at the peak of Semeru Volcano, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar and Besuk Sat, as well as the potential for lahars in small rivers which is a tributary of Besuk Kobokan.