Mount Semeru Erupts Thursday Morning, Status Remains on Alert

Mount Semeru in East Java erupted again on Thursday, August 22, 2024, at 10:14 WIB (Western Indonesian Time). In the last week, Mount Semeru has erupted 25 times.

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

The ash column was observed to be white to gray in color with thick intensity towards the south and southwest. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22 millimeters and a duration of 115 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 22, 2024, from 00:00 to 23:59 WIB, showed 101 eruption quakes with amplitudes of 11-24 millimeters and durations of 59-170 seconds.

Furthermore, there were 3 guguran (rockfall) quakes with amplitudes of 3-8 mm and durations of 55-116 seconds, and 15 emission quakes with amplitudes of 3-8 millimeters and durations of 41-86 seconds.

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 buffer zone) along Besuk Kobokan due to the potential for pyroclastic flow and lahar flows extending up to 13 kilometers from the peak.

During 2024, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 2,963 volcanic eruptions/eruptions throughout Indonesia. Mount Ibu in North Maluku had the most eruptions (1,097 times), while Mount Semeru erupted 988 times.