At least 13 people have died, nearly 100 have been injured, and thousands have been evacuated after the Semeru volcano on Java Island, Indonesia unexpectedly erupted.
The Semeru Volcano, standing at over 3,600 meters, is the highest mountain on Java Island, Indonesia. On the afternoon of December 4th, the Semeru volcano emitted a column of ash, hot gases, and lava, causing panic as thousands fled.
The ash column from the Semeru volcano quickly descended upon at least 11 surrounding villages.
According to the Indonesian Geophysics and Meteorology Agency, satellite images show that the volcanic ash has spread to the Indian Ocean in the southern area of Java Island.
Hundreds of families had to evacuate after their homes were destroyed by ash and lava. In the photo: A construction site covered in ash from the Semeru volcano eruption.
The eruption also destroyed many important transportation routes, making it difficult for rescue teams to access affected areas. In the photo: The remnants of a bridge destroyed by lava from the Semeru volcano on December 5th.
Local authorities are assessing the damage on-site while establishing a no-go zone with a radius of 5 km around the volcano’s crater. Provincial disaster response forces are urgently setting up evacuation camps, ensuring the provision of food, masks, warm blankets, and shelter for the affected residents.
The Semeru volcano, which erupted earlier this year in January, did not cause any casualties but forced thousands to evacuate.
Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates frequently collide, causing seismic activity and volcanic eruptions. Indonesia has nearly 130 active volcanoes. At the end of 2018, a volcano in the strait between Java and Sumatra erupted, triggering an underwater landslide and tsunami that resulted in over 400 deaths. In the photo: A man leads his buffalo to evacuate after the Semeru volcano erupted on December 4th.
