🌋 'Ploom of Doom' Alert: Mount Semaru Let's Off Steam, Hundreds of houses damaged

JAKARTA - Mount Semeru, located in Lumajang, East Java, experienced an eruption and spewed hot clouds and incandescent lava. More than hundreds of residents living around the slopes and foothills of Mount Semeru had to flee from the affected areas.

Based on a report from the Geology Center for Volcanology and Geological Mitigation (PVMBG) at the Semeru Volcano Observation Post, Mount Semeru's volcanic activity has begun to decline and its status is at level II (Alert). Even so, Mount Semeru still emitted hot clouds as far as 2.5 km and two harmonic tremors.

Visually Mount Semeru is covered with fog. The public is advised not to carry out activities within a one kilometer radius around the hot cloud launch path.

This is because the hot clouds and volcanic ash that Mount Semeru spewed out contain dangerous substances, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide. Dust material can damage the human respiratory system, if inhaled.