Mount Semeru Up Status So Alert, PVMG Asks For No Activities 8 Km From Puncak

Mount Semeru emits hot clouds visible from the Pranajiwo area, Lumajang, East Java, Thursday (5/3/2020). (Between)

JAKARTA - The status of Mount Semeru in East Java as of Sunday, December 4 starting at 12.00 WIB has been raised from Level 3 or Alert to Level 4 or Alert

Head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMG), Hendra Gunawan, asked that there be no activity within a radius of eight kilometers from the summit of Mount Semeru.

Meanwhile, in the southeast sector in Besuk Kobokan and Kali Lanang, the community was also asked to stay away 19 kilometers from the top

"The status of Mount Semeru has been raised from Alert (Level 3) to Alert (Level 4) starting on Sunday, December 4, 2022 at 12.00 WIB," Hendra said in his statement, Sunday, December 4.

PVMBG noted that on Sunday, December 4, there was an eruption accompanied by hot clouds of avalanches that occurred on Mount Semeru at 02.46 WIB with an eruption column height of 1,500 meters above the peak.

The source of hot clouds avalanche from piles of material on the tip of the lava tongue which is about 800 meters from the summit (Kawah Jonggring Seloko).

The hot clouds of avalanches lasted continuously and until 06.00 WIB the sliding distance had reached 7 kilometers from the summit towards Besuk Kobokan.

From 00.00 WIB to 06.00 WIB, seismic activity was recorded eight earthquake eruptions, one hot cloud earthquake.

Hendra explained that the situation showed that the eruption and hot clouds of avalanches on Mount Semeru were still very high.

"In addition to the potential for hot clouds to occur, the potential for lava flows is also still high considering the high rainfall on Mount Semeru," he said, quoted by Antara.

Monitoring of deformations still shows inflation or increased pressure which shows that the supply process of magma is still happening in a magma pocket or to the surface.

Monitoring of hot areas or hotspots shows an increase in the presence of thermal anomalies to 15 Mw around the crater area which indicates that there is still a pile of hot material in the crater of Mount Semeru.

The status rate of the volcano is four, namely from the lowest, Normal (Level 1), Alert (Level 2), Alert (level 3) and Alert (Level 4).