Jakarta, IO – Mount Semeru in Lumajang regency, East Java, erupted again on Monday (8/1). It produced ash column almost two kilometers high, observed at around 1.30pm WIB. The seismograph belonging to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) at the Semeru Volcano Monitoring Station (PPGA) on Mount Sawur recorded the eruption lasting 146 seconds with a tremor reading of 23 millimeters, per Kompas, Mon (8/1).
The monitoring post also recorded two incandescent lava avalanches between midnight and 6am WIB with a sliding distance of 600-800 meters towards the southeast, Besuk Kobokan. The hot ash also headed toward the southeast with a distance of 1,000 meters and a duration of 120 seconds.
PPGA Semeru reported that in the last 12 hours, there have been 34 eruptions with an amplitude of between 10-22 millimeters with a duration of 55-155 seconds. Apart from that, seven earthquake avalanches were also recorded with an amplitude of 3-10 millimeters and a duration of 45-100 seconds.
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Head of Lumajang Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Patria Dwi Hastiadi, appealed to residents living around the slopes of Mount Semeru to increase vigilance given that the status of the highest volcano on Java is still at Alert III. Patria asked residents to comply with every recommendation and warning issued by Semeru PPGA.
Furthermore, Patria asked sand miners working on the slopes of Mount Semeru to stop their activities as soon as the rain comes because the area is prone lahar flooding. (rr)