Death Toll Rises to 29 in Mount Semeru Eruption

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The joint search and rescue team is still looking for victims of hot clouds from Mount Semeru eruption in Lumajang, East Java. As of Tuesday afternoon, December 7, the East Java Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) recorded the death toll at 29 people.

“The team is still conducting searches in several locations today,” said East Java BPBD official Dino Andalananto on Tuesday.

Three teams were mobilized to search for victims. The first team was tasked in Kajar Kuning and Curah Kobokan Villages. The second team was in H. Satuhan Sand Mine, and the last team was in Kebondeli Village and Renteng Village.

The joint team consisted of personnel from BPBD, Indonesian Military (TNI)-Police, up to government agencies, and volunteers.

Until now, Dino said the searching process has not encountered any problems other than the weather and Semeru's activities. The searching will be temporarily suspended if the volcanic activities are considered dangerous as it still emitting hot avalanches.

“But from this morning until this afternoon, the weather is good. We hope that future weather will be good as today so that the search can continue.”

In addition to the death toll, the East Java BPBD recorded 100 people suffered minor injuries and 69 people were seriously injured. To date, the agency is still collecting data on missing persons following the Mount Semeru eruption.

Read: Mount Semeru Eruption; Jokowi Says 2,000 Houses Must Be Relocated

IMAM HAMDI