Mount Semeru Erupts Again Tonight, Eruption Height 500 Meters Above the Peak

Mount Semeru in East Java erupted again on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 9:08 PM WIB. In the last week, Mount Semeru has erupted 32 times.

According to eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the observed ash column reached 500 meters above the peak (4,176 meters above sea level).

The ash column was observed to be white to gray with moderate intensity towards the north. The eruption of Mount Semeru was still ongoing at the time of this report.

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcano activity report, Mount Semeru's activity level is at Level III (Siaga/Alert). Seismic observations on May 18, 2024, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM WIB showed 17 eruption quakes with amplitudes of 12-23 millimeters and durations of 62-176 seconds. There was also 1 pyroclastic flow quake with an amplitude of 23 mm and a duration of 176 seconds.

PVMBG advises against any activity in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan, up to 13 kilometers from the peak (eruption center). Outside this distance, people should not engage in activities within 500 meters of the riverbanks (river margins) along Besuk Kobokan due to the potential for pyroclastic flow expansion and lava flows up to 17 kilometers from the peak.

During 2024, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 725 volcanic eruptions/eruptions throughout Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java has had the most eruptions, with 266 recorded.