🌋 Mount Semeru Erupts: Ash Rain 🔥

World News

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupted on Wednesday, sending towering ash clouds soaring as high as 5.6 kilometers into the sky. Volcanology agency officials immediately raised the alert level for Java’s tallest mountain, triggering urgent warnings for residents to remain at least 2.5 kilometers from the volcano’s base. The eruption, which began around 4 pm, produced fast-moving pyroclastic flows that reached a staggering seven kilometers from the summit, and volcanologist Mukdas Sofian reported that the eruption was ongoing at the time of the report. Located within the Pacific “Ring of Fire”—a zone known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity—Mount Semeru has erupted many times over the past 200 years, including a devastating event in 2021 that claimed 62 lives and buried villages under thick ash. Given Indonesia’s nearly 130 active volcanoes – more than any other nation – the country closely monitors Semeru, recognizing the significant risks it poses to communities, transportation, and air travel.