The Mount Semeru volcano - in the Malang province, east of the Indonesian island of Java - erupted today, Sunday, for about 4 hours, spewing smoke and volcanic ash to heights that varied between 5 and 7 kilometers.

The authorities have raised the warning of this volcano to the highest level today, after its eruption, releasing a column of ash into the air, warning citizens of the danger of approaching the slopes of Mount Semeru for a distance of 17 km.

Kompas TV said that the Center for "Volcanology and Geological Risk Reduction" in Indonesia has identified volcanic activity from the third to fourth level.

A local district official said the evacuation of residents living near the volcano in East Java province had begun.

The eruption of the volcano in the eastern part of the island of Java, located about 640 km east of the capital, Jakarta, followed a series of earthquakes west of the island, including one last month that killed more than 300.

"Most of the road entrances have been closed since this morning. Now the volcanic ash is spreading and covering the mountain," a local volunteer, Bayo Dini Alfianto, told Reuters by phone.

Alfianto added that small volcanic eruptions are continuing, and that it has rained in the area.

Kompas TV reported that as the alert level was raised, the authorities asked residents not to carry out any activities within 8 km of the Semeru eruption epicenter.

Awan Panas Guguruan (APG) Gunung Semeru masih berlangsung.

Jarak APG terpantau hingga 11 km.

Berikut adalah laboran perkembangan visual APG Semeru.

I am very proud of the results of the BNPB, BPBD, and @PVMBG_

Foto: @BPBDLumajang #APGSemeru #GnSemeru pic.twitter.com/ONel9FdK1K

— BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) December 4, 2022

Japan is watching and warning

For its part, the Japan Meteorological Agency said it is monitoring the possibility of a tsunami in the country after the volcanic eruption in Indonesia.

The agency said that the volcano may cause tsunamis up to Okinawa Prefecture in the south of the country.

With 142 volcanoes on its soil, Indonesia has the highest population density within close range of any volcano in the world, including 8.6 million within a 10-kilometre radius.

A devastating 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck the city of Cianjur in West Java in late November, and another - 6.1-magnitude yesterday in Jurat - prompted residents to flee buildings, but it did not cause serious damage.