1 dead, dozens injured after Java’s highest volcano erupts

Muri Assunção

At least one person died and dozens were hospitalized after Mount Semeru, the highest volcano on Indonesia’s Java island, erupted Saturday.

Videos shared on social media show residents fleeing a massive ash cloud from the sudden eruption, which was triggered by days of heavy rains and a thunderstorm on Saturday.

Remains of a bridge in a slope, destroyed by the flowing lava, is shown in the Lumajang District in Indonesia, on Saturday after Mount Semeru’s eruption.
Remains of a bridge in a slope, destroyed by the flowing lava, is shown in the Lumajang District in Indonesia, on Saturday after Mount Semeru’s eruption.


Remains of a bridge in a slope, destroyed by the flowing lava, is shown in the Lumajang District in Indonesia, on Saturday after Mount Semeru’s eruption.

Around 5 a.m, local time, Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency said on Twitter that rescue teams had been dispatched to the Lumajang district, in East Java province, to help with assessment, evacuation and data collection.

Based on data from the Mount Semeru Volcano Observation Post, “incandescent lava falls were observed” after the eruption, and volcanic ash was seen moving toward the west and southwest of the island.

Eko Budi Lelono, who heads the geological survey center, said that flows of searing gas and lava traveled up to 2,624 feet to a nearby river at least twice on Saturday, The Associated Press reported.

“Thick columns of ash have turned several villages to darkness,” said Lumajang district head Thoriqul Haq.

The deputy chief of Lumajang district, Indah Masdar, said that at least 41 people were injured in the explosion.

“We’re in big distress,” Masdar told reporters in a press conference Saturday afternoon, according to Reuters. “It’s harrowing, their families are all crying.”

Mount Semeru, also known as “The Great Mountain,” is one of Indonesia’s most popular hiking destinations. It’s also one of the island’s most active volcanoes.

Earlier this year, the 12,060-foot-high mountain spewed hot ash for about 9,800 feet, leading to the evacuation of about 550 people.

Evacuees take shelter at the local mosque of Sumber Wuluh village, in Lumajang.
Evacuees take shelter at the local mosque of Sumber Wuluh village, in Lumajang.


Evacuees take shelter at the local mosque of Sumber Wuluh village, in Lumajang. (JUNI KRISWANTO/)

Located in South East Asia, Indonesia is an archipelago consisting of more than 17,000 islands, including Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi.

Java, the world’s most populous island, is home to more than half of the country’s population.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where tectonic plates often collide making the area prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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