[Look] Indonesia's Mount Semeru Volcanic Eruption Causes Thousands To Evacuate

A volcano in Indonesia increases its emergency status from level three to four after

Indonesia is prominently known as a country with the most people who live close to a volcano, with a population of 8.6 million within 10 km of its 142 volcanoes.

According to The Strait Times, a volcano in Indonesia, namely Mount Semeru, erupted on Sunday, spewing a cloud of ash 15 km into the sky. They also issued their highest alert for the region in the east of Java island. The volcano reportedly started erupting around 2:46 am.

Additionally, after the eruption, Japan's weather agency issued warnings toward the Okinawa Prefecture islands of Miyako and Yaeyama had been given tsunami warnings. However, Kyodo News later reported that there had been no tsunamis in Japan.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center, or Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) in the Indonesian language, has increased the status of Mount Semeru from level three to level four, which indicates that the danger has threatened people's settlements and that the volcano's activity has escalated.

Indonesians Evacuate Following Mount Semeru Eruption

Although Indonesia's transport ministry stated that there was no impact on air travel and that there were no initial reports of any injuries due to the Semeru volcanic eruption, alerts had been sent to two regional airports requesting alertness.

"Most roads have been closed since this morning and now it is raining volcanic ash and it has covered the view of the mountain," community volunteer Bayu Deny Alfianto told Reuters.

Authorities issued a warning to locals not to engage in any activity within 8 kilometers of Semeru's eruption center due to the increased alert level and noted that hot ash clouds had already traveled up to 19 kilometers.

According to Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, an estimated 1,979 victims have been relocated to 11 shelters, and locals have been given masks by the authorities to prevent them from inhaling the air pollutants.

Mount Semeru's Volcanic Activity Prior to Eruption

Indonesia, an island of more than 270 million people, is prominently known as vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its location situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped chain of fault lines.

According to ABC News, Mt. Semeru, also called Mahameru, has erupted multiple times in the past 200 years. Tens of thousands of people still reside on its lush slopes, as is the situation with many of Indonesia's 129 active volcanoes.

Prior to the recent eruption, the latest significant eruption of Semeru occurred in December of 2021, when the rumbling volcano exploded violently and killed 51 people in settlements that were completely submerged in mud. More than 10,000 inhabitants had to be evacuated due to the eruption, along with several hundred more people who suffered severe burn injuries. The government relocated about 2,970 homes out of the risk area.