Mount Semeru, located on the border of Malang and Lumajang regencies, has once again shown a significant increase in volcanic activity. According to the latest monitoring data, the highest volcano on Java Island was recorded launching five incandescent lava flows from the peak of the crater.
The volcanic material, in the form of incandescent lava, reportedly flowed up to 2 kilometers to the southeast, specifically towards the Besuk Kobokan river flow. In addition to the lava flows, monitoring instruments also recorded five eruptions that spewed gray volcanic ash columns approximately 1,000 meters high to the east.
Responding to these conditions, an officer at the Mount Semeru Observation Post, Yadi Yuliandi, issued a stern warning to the public. Residents are urged not to conduct any activities within a 13-kilometer radius from the eruption center, considering the southeastern sector is now the main path for hot material flows.
Furthermore, the volcanological authorities also warned the public to remain vigilant against secondary hazards. The potential for pyroclastic flows (hot clouds of ash and rock) and the threat of cold lava mudflows (lahars) that could flow along rivers originating from Mount Semeru are the primary concerns for residents living on the mountain slopes.
