TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mount Semeru in East Java has erupted four times in two days. The intensity of eruptions spiked since Wednesday evening at around 07:14 p.m. local time when it erupted with a 700-meter high ash column, 4,376-meter above sea level.

The eruption continued on Thursday morning, at 05:06 a.m. local time, ash column reaching 900 meters high and moving west. Another eruption on the same day was recorded at 04:14 p.m. local time, with a white-gray ash column reaching 800 meters high.

Lastly on Thursday evening, at 08:25 p.m. local time, the highest volcano in Java Island once again erupted with the highest ash column yet reaching 1,500 meters above the mountain peak. The grey ash column leaned south and southwest.

"The eruption was recorded by the seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 23 mm and 2 minutes 30 seconds duration. The eruption was accompanied by a hot cloud moving 1000 meters southeast," said Acting Head of Geological Agency Muhammad Wafid in a statement on Thursday, Jan. 26.

Wafid urged people to stay away at least 13 kilometers from the mountain peak as Mount Semeru is currently at Level III (Alert). "Outside of that range, avoid doing activities 500 meters away from the riverside along Besuk Kobokan since there is potential for the hot cloud (pyroclastic flow) to spread 17 kilometers away from the peak," he said.

Wafid also urged people, hikers, or visitors, to avoid conducting activities within 5 kilometers radius from Semeru Peak.

"Beware of hot clouds, lava, and volcanic mudflow along the river from Semeru volcano, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat," he concluded.

AMINUDDIN

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