The first eruption occurred at 5:44 local time followed by a second eruption at 7:28 local time and the third eruption at 8:07 local time, Mount Semeru Observation Post officer Ghufron Alwi noted in a written report received on Saturday.
"On March 23, 2024, Mount Semeru erupted at 5:44 local time, with the height of the eruption column observed to be around 600 meters above the peak (4,276 meters above sea level)," Alwi revealed.
The volcanic ash column was seen to be white to gray in color, with thick intensity towards the north. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph, with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a duration of 112 seconds, he added.
The second eruption occurred at 7:28 local time, with the height of the eruption column followed by volcanic ash observed at around 700 meters above the peak (4,376 m above sea level).
The eruption was seen to be white to gray in color, with thick intensity towards the northwest. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph, with a maximum amplitude of 20 mm and a duration of 75 seconds, Alwi stated.
Meanwhile, another Mount Semeru Observation Post officer, Sigit Rian Alfian, also reported the eruption of the highest mountain on Java Island at 8:07 local time, with a higher eruption column than the earlier two.
"The height of the eruption column was observed to be around one thousand meters or one kilometer above the peak (4,676 meters above sea level)," Alfian stated.
The volcanic ash column was observed to be white to gray in color, with thick intensity towards the northwest. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph, with a maximum amplitude of 21 mm and a duration of 73 seconds.
As of Saturday noon local time, 129 eruptions were recorded from January 1 to March 23, 2024, in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources report through the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigas (PVMBG).
Until now, Mount Semeru is still on alert status, or at level III. Hence, people are prohibited from carrying out any activities in the southeastern sector along Besuk Kobokan, as far as 13 kilometers from the crater.
People are also not allowed to carry out activities within 500 meters of the river bank along Besuk Kobokan, as it has the potential to be affected by the expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to a distance of 17 kilometers from the peak.
The public is also advised to be aware of the potential for hot clouds and lava avalanches along rivers and valleys originating from the peak of Mount Semeru, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat.
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