Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupts 10 times in 13 hours, triggering warnings over deadly flows

Mount Semeru in East Java, Indonesia, experienced a series of at least ten volcanic eruptions on Tuesday, October 13. The Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre (PVMBG) reported that these eruptions took place between 12:09 am and 1:11 pm local time, with ash clouds reaching up to 900 meters above the volcano's summit, or 4,576 meters above sea level. The highest columns of ash were recorded during eruptions at 5:20 am and 6:47 am.

Due to the ongoing volcanic activity, PVMBG has maintained Mount Semeru at Level III, the second-highest alert level on their four-tier volcanic alert system. This advisory advises the public to avoid all activities within 13 kilometers of the summit along the Besuk Kobokan River in the volcano's southeastern sector, as there is a risk of pyroclastic flows and volcanic mudflows.

Additionally, people must refrain from any activities within a five-kilometer radius of Mount Semeru's crater or summit due to the danger of ejected incandescent rocks.

The volcano, situated on the border of Lumajang and Malang regencies in East Java, erupted five times between 12:09 am and 5:13 am. During this period, ash columns ranged from 300 to 800 meters in height. Following these eruptions, two more occurred at 8:10 am and 10:37 am, sending ash 800 meters above the summit. The most recent eruption at 1:11 pm produced a 600-meter ash column that drifted southwest, while seismic instruments recorded a maximum amplitude of 15 millimeters with a duration of 88 seconds.