Mount Semeru spews volcanic ash

An officer at the Mount Semeru observation post, Ghufron Alwi, stated that the highest volcano on Java Island spewed volcanic ash, creating a column of white, grey, to brown colour, with thick intensity heading to the northeast.

"The eruption was recorded on a seismograph, with a maximum amplitude of 23 millimetres and a duration of 120 seconds," he informed in a report received here on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) reminded the public to not conduct activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan as far as 13 kilometres from the eruption centre.

Beyond this distance, people are also not allowed to carry out activities at a distance of 500 metres from the riverbank along Besuk Kobokan since it is prone to be affected by the expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to a distance of 17 kilometres from the crater.

The PVMBG also appealed to the public to not move within a five-kilometre radius of the peak of Mount Semeru since it is prone to volcanic incandescent stones.

The public must also be aware of hot clouds and lava avalanches along rivers or valleys that originate at the peak of Mount Semeru, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat, as well as the potential for cold lava in small rivers coming from Besuk Kobokan.

Mount Semeru is monitored visually and instrumentally from two volcano observation posts in Sumber Wuluh Village, Candipuro Sub-district, Lumajang District, and in Argosuko Village, Ampelgading Sub-district, Malang District.

Mount Semeru's activity level is currently at Level III, or Alert, since December 16, 2021.

--BERNAMA-ANTARA