Mount Semeru Erupts Again This Evening, Ash Reaches Approximately 700 Meters High

Mount Semeru in East Java erupted again on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 3:57 PM WIB. In the last week, Mount Semeru has erupted 43 times.

According to eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the height of the ash column was observed to reach 700 meters above the peak or 4,376 meters above sea level.

The ash column was observed to be white to gray with thick intensity towards the southwest and west. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22 millimeters and a duration of 125 seconds.

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcano activity report, Mount Semeru's activity level is at Level II (Alert). Observations of seismic activity on August 28, 2024, from 00:00 to 23:59 WIB showed 99 eruption quakes with amplitudes of 10-23 millimeters and durations of 63-179 seconds.

Furthermore, there were 15 rockfall quakes with amplitudes of 2-14 mm and durations of 34-118 seconds, and 14 emission quakes with amplitudes of 4-8 millimeters and durations of 37-58 seconds.

The PVMBG advises against any activity in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan, up to 8 kilometers from the peak (eruption center). Outside this distance, people should not engage in activities within 500 meters of the riverbank (river edge) along Besuk Kobokan due to the potential for pyroclastic flow and lava flows extending up to 13 kilometers from the peak.

During 2024, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 3,191 volcanic eruptions/eruptions throughout Indonesia. Mount Ibu in North Maluku had the most eruptions (1,227 eruptions), while Mount Semeru erupted 1,065 times.