Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) issued warnings on July 23 following continuous eruptions from two active volcanoes namely Mount Semeru in East Java and Mount Marapi in West Sumatra.
Accordingly, Mount Semeru recorded five eruptions with ash plumes reaching up to 1,000 meters above the summit. Authorities maintained a level II alert (on a four-tier scale), advising residents to avoid the southeastern zone within 8 km of the crater, as pyroclastic flows and lava may extend up to 13 km. Communities are also warned of potential secondary disasters such as lava floods, mudflows, and ash rain along rivers and valleys, especially near the Besuk Kobokan River.
Meanwhile, Mount Marapi has erupted seven times in July, with the latest ash plume rising 1,200 metres. The alert level has been raised to level III, and locals have been told to stay at least 4.5 km away from Crater Verbeek.
Indonesia, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is home to about 130 active volcanoes./.
