TEMPO.CO, Lumajang - Mount Semeru located in the border of Lumajang Regency and Malang, East Java was heard rumbling on Saturday, February 29. Throughout the day, the active volcano spewed a lava avalanche for eight times as far as 100 to 1,000 meters.

Head of the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center or PVMBG, Hendra Gunawan, confirmed the report on Sunday, March 1. “At night, the mountain spewed a column of ash at the height of 10-50 meters and was accompanied by eight earthquakes,” said Hendra.

As for seismic activity, the PVMBG also recorded 38 earthquakes with amplitudes of 11-25 mm for 80-200 seconds, followed by lava emission for 15 times with amplitudes of 6-13 mm for 60-200 seconds. Also, two tremors with amplitudes of 7-9 mm for 55-100 seconds, and three shallow volcanic earthquakes with amplitudes of 14-15 mm for 8-20 seconds.

“Mount Semeru also erupted cold lava with amplitudes of 200 mm for 10,860 seconds and experienced continuous tremor with amplitudes of 1-20 mm,” Hendra explained.

According to Hendra, based on the activity of the volcano which rises 7,676 meters above sea level, the status is at Level II or Alert (Caution). Residents are urged not to conduct any activity within a one-radius kilometer from the volcano’s peak and a four-radius kilometer from the crater or around the south to southeast of the mountain’s slope, that are possible lava path.

Earlier on Friday, the observation post of the PVMBG recorded Semeru Mount spewed lava avalanches as far as 750 meters followed by 38-times earthquakes with amplitudes of 11-25 mm, 15 volcanic tremors, one local tectonic quake, and two distant tectonic earthquakes.

ANTARA