Watch: Massive volcano eruption triggers highest level of warning in Indonesia
Japan is monitoring the possibility of a tsunami after the massive volcano eruption in the Java island of Indonesia on Sunday.
Indonesia’s highest volcano Mt Semeru spouted massive ash clouds and lava in a fresh eruption on Sunday. The government of the island country raised the volcano warning to the highest level after the massive eruption. People living around the volcano in East Java province of Indonesia are being evacuated.
Residents have been warned against engaging in any activity within a distance of 8 km (5 miles) from the centre of Mr Sumeru’s eruption. As per Japan’s Meteorological Agency, smoke clouds from the volcano reached up to 50,000 feet or 15 kms into the sky. Japan has been monitoring the possibility of the eruption triggering a tsunami.
The volcano is situated on the Java Island of Indonesia, which is around 640 kms to the east of capital city Jakarta. Several videos of the volcano spewing plumes of smoke have surfaced on social media.
The major volcano eruption in the area comes after a string of earthquakes, including the disastrous one in November that left 300 people dead. As per Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency BNPB, the volcano erupted at 2:46 am.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said that monsoon rains had eroded the top of Mt Semeru. The lava dome finally collapsed on the peak of the 3,676 metre mountain. Ash falling from the sky covered several villages and also blocked out the sun. No casualties have been reported till now. Lava was seen running towards a river near the volcano.
The major eruption comes after the December 2021 eruption when 51 people were killed and left buried in layers of volcanic mud. Over 10,000 villages had to be evacuated. Hundreds had suffered serious burn injuries at the time.
Mt Semeru has erupted several times in the last 200 years. Indonesia has 142 volcanoes with 129 active ones. The country also houses more people living near volcanoes than any place on earth.
(With inputs from PTI, Reuters)