BEIJING, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) According to Reuters, the Semeru volcano in East Java, Indonesia, erupted in the early hours of the 4th, and the volcanic ash column it spewed was as high as 1.5 kilometers.
Authorities warned residents to stay away from the eruption zone and raised the volcano alert to its highest level.
In the early hours of December 4, local time, the Semeru volcano in East Java, Indonesia, erupted.
The Indonesian National Disaster Reduction Agency (BNPB) said in a statement that Mount Semeru erupted at 2:46 am local time on the 4th.
After considering the risk of lava flow, the agency issued a warning, calling on the public not to carry out any activities within 5 kilometers from the center of the eruption, and to keep a distance of 500 meters from the nearby river.
Videos circulating on social platforms showed a large amount of volcanic ash in the area near the volcano.
Hendra Gunawan, spokesman for the Indonesian Volcanology and Geology Hazard Mitigation Center (PVMBG), said the increased threat level "means that danger has threatened people's homes and volcanic activity has escalated".
In the early hours of December 4, local time, the Semeru volcano in East Java, Indonesia, erupted.
Indonesian media quoted local officials as saying that the evacuation of residents near the volcano in East Java province had begun.
Indonesian officials have also distributed masks to local residents.
According to previous reports, Mount Semeru is 3,676 meters above sea level. It is the highest volcano in Java and a well-known mountaineering scenic spot. It is also one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia.
In December 2021, the eruption of Mount Semeru killed more than 30 people, at least 17 were missing, and 56 were injured.