Semeru volcano in Java, Indonesia

Semeru volcano eruption forces evacuation of thousands in Indonesia

Indonesian authorities on Sunday raised to the highest level the risk alert around the Semeru volcano, in the southeast of the island of Java, due to the “increased volcanic activity” after the eruption recorded this morning, which caused the evacuation of about 2,000 people so far.

The measure is due to the fact that “eruption activity and hot cloud avalanches on Mount Semeru remain very high,” which increases the risk of gas and water vapor clouds or lava flows due to heavy rainfall in the area, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) explained in a note.

“With this increase in volcanic activity, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) raised the status of Mount Semeru from ‘Alert’ to ‘Caution’, or from level III to level IV,” the agency said.

The BNPB reported that Semeru, located in Indonesia’s Lumajang regency, emanated a column of gray ash, with moderate to thick intensity, reaching 1.5 kilometers above the crater level as of 2:46 a.m. local time on Sunday.

Thousands of residents of 11 areas around the volcano, were displaced so far as worsening weather conditions and heavy rains throughout the day caused ash to start falling in several areas of Lumajang town.

So far, no fatalities were reported as a result of the volcanic eruption, the Agency added.

-Thailand News (TN)

TN

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