Mount Semeru, located on the border of Lumajang and Malang regencies in East Java, has once again shown a significant increase in volcanic activity. On Tuesday morning (July 14), the tallest volcano on Java Island was reported to have erupted four consecutive times within just a three-hour window.
According to reports from the Semeru Volcano Observatory (PGA), the series of eruptions began at 05:39 AM WIB. During the first eruption, the height of the volcanic ash column reached its peak for the day, at approximately 1,300 meters above the summit (around 4,976 meters above sea level), with a white-to-gray ash column drifting to the north.
Subsequent eruptions occurred in quick succession. The second eruption was recorded at 06:29 AM WIB with an ash column reaching 800 meters, followed by a third eruption at 06:51 AM WIB reaching 1,200 meters. This series was temporarily closed by a fourth eruption at 07:55 AM WIB, which spewed ash 1,000 meters into the air.
Responding to this increase in activity, the Head of the Semeru PGA Post, Liswanto, issued a safety advisory for the public and local tourists. Residents are prohibited from engaging in activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan up to a distance of 13 kilometers from the peak. Beyond that distance, the public is also forbidden from activities within a 500-meter radius of the riverbanks along Besuk Kobokan due to the threat of expanding pyroclastic flows and cold lava flows.
Furthermore, authorities have also banned all activities within a 5-kilometer radius of the summit due to the risk of being hit by incandescent rocks. The public is also urged to remain vigilant about secondary hazards, such as cold lava flows along rivers originating from Mount Semeru, including Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat. To date, the active volcano remains at Alert Level III (Siaga).
