Had Stuck In Ranu Kumbolo, 178 Climbers Survived The Semeru Hot Clouds

Illustration of the eruption of Mount Semeru (ANTARA)

LUMAJANG - The National SAR Agency (Basarnas) and Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) ensured that 178 climbers who were still on the Mount Semeru hiking trail, precisely in Ranu Kumbolo, could be safely evacuated.

"Today 178 climbers will go down to the Semeru Climbing Post in Ranu Pani," said the Commander of the Surabaya Basarnas Rescue Team Novix Heryadi when confirmed by telephone, quoted by Antara, Thursday, November 20.

He said the Basarnas Team would pick up to make sure everything was in good condition and it was possible that 178 climbers would arrive at the Ranu Pani climbing post at around 13.00 WIB.

"Currently the weather is quite clear and hopefully the process of evacuating climbers to go down to the Ranu Pani Post will run smoothly," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Administration of the TNBTS Center, Septi Eka Wardhani, ensured that all climbers in Ranu Kumbolo were safe and not exposed to hot clouds from Semeru.

"The number of people in Ranu Kumbolo is 178, consisting of 137 climbers, one officer, two divers, seven PPGST, 15 porters, and six people from the Ministry of Tourism," he said.

For safety reasons, he continued, the night evacuation was not recommended because of the dark, slippery, and landslide-prone conditions, so the TNBTS team ensured that all climbers remained in Ranu Kumbolo while on standby if the situation required a decrease.

Despite being in a vulnerable area, rescue teams and trained officers continue to monitor conditions in real-time, ensuring that each climber gets adequate direction, supervision, and logistical support.

"The climbers are also advised to remain calm, obey the officer's instructions, and maintain a safe distance from each other to reduce the risk of things that are not desirable," he said.

Coordination between the TNBTS Center, volunteers, and related officials is the key in ensuring the safety of climbers, so that systematic and disciplined disaster mitigation measures show that Semeru's handling is not only responsive but also proactive and planned, so risks can be minimized without causing panic.