Mount Semeru showed significant volcanic activity again on Thursday (18/6/2026). According to a report by the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), the eruption occurred at 11:10 WIB, spewing an ash column 1,200 meters above the peak or 4,876 meters above sea level. The distribution of the white-to-gray ash material was observed moving towards the northeast.
To date, the status of the highest volcano on Java Island remains at Level III (Alert). The Chief Executive of the Lumajang Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Isnugroho, emphasized that the public does not need to panic excessively, but is still required to increase vigilance and continue monitoring official information from the government regarding the latest developments in volcanic activity.
Authorities strictly urged the public not to conduct any activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan within a radius of 13 kilometers from the eruption center. In addition, residents are strictly prohibited from conducting activities within a 500-meter radius from the riverbanks along Besuk Kobokan to avoid the risk of expanding pyroclastic flows and cold lava flows.
An activity ban is also enforced within a five-kilometer radius from the crater or peak of Mount Semeru due to the potential danger of incandescent rock ejections. Isnugroho emphasized that compliance with these restricted zones is the main key to minimizing disaster risks for residents living on the mountain slopes.
The local government, along with volcano observation officers, continues to coordinate intensively to ensure the security of the area. Residents outside the danger zone are still allowed to carry out their daily routines, provided they remain quick to respond to disaster mitigation directives to ensure community resilience in facing volcanic threats.
