Indonesia on high alert as Mount Semeru volcano erupts in Java

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano erupted on Sunday, December 4, 2022, engulfing its surrounding with smoke and ash.

Over 2000 residents living in east Java province near the volcano have been evacuated. The volcano lies 640 kilometres from Indonesia’s capital Jakarta and erupted at 2.46 PM local time Sunday, according to the government.

Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has given this eruption a level 4 status, the highest hazard warning.

The ash from the volcano has reached 12 kilometres from the epicentre. People have been warned to stay at least 17 kilometres from the volcano.

According to Japan’s Meteorological Agency, the volcano’s plume reached an altitude of 15 kilometres. But the agency said that there is no tsunami warning for Semeru.

The government has distributed 20,000 masks to residents around the volcano to prevent respiratory diseases. No deaths have been reported from this volcanic eruption so far.