Mount Semeru Erupts Again This Afternoon (Friday, January 16, 2026)

Mount Semeru in East Java erupted again on Friday (1/16/2026) at 02:38 PM Western Indonesian Time. In the last week, Mount Semeru has erupted 40 times.

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

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

(Read: Number of Fatalities from Natural Disasters in Indonesia Soared in 2024)

According to MAGMA Indonesia's volcanic activity report, Mount Semeru's activity level is at Level III (Alert). Seismicity observations on January 16, 2026, from 06:00 AM to 12:00 PM Western Indonesian Time, showed 27 eruption tremors/quakes with amplitudes of 10-22 millimeters and durations of 61-166 seconds.

Furthermore, there were 4 exhalation tremors/quakes with amplitudes of 6-8 millimeters and durations of 43-79 seconds, and 2 distant tectonic earthquakes with amplitudes of 15-25 millimeters s-p 16-54 seconds and durations of 45-131 seconds.

PVMBG advises against any activity in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan, as far as 13 kilometers from the peak (eruption center). Beyond that distance, people should not conduct activities within 500 meters from the riverbanks (river borders) along Besuk Kobokan due to the potential for expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to 17 kilometers from the peak.

Throughout 2026, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 225 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java has erupted the most, with 129 occurrences.

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