Bangkok: Indonesia evacuated more than 900 people and is facilitating the safe return of 170 stranded climbers on Thursday after Mount Semeru, one of the country's highest mountains, erupted again on Wednesday.
According to Thai News Agency, the alert level remained at its highest after Mount Semeru on Java island erupted 10 times on Wednesday, spewing massive plumes of ash and sending lava and rock flows up to 13 kilometers down its slopes. Septi Wardani, an official at Semeru National Park, reported that the climbers were stranded overnight at a campsite by a lake at the base of the volcano, about 6.4 kilometers from the crater, but were being helped to safety.
Images from Indonesia's volcanology agency reveal a large plume of hot ash from the crater, covering the hillside. The volcano's last major eruption in December 2021 resulted in at least 51 deaths and covered nearby villages in ash.
Mount Semeru, standing at 3,676 meters, is among approximately 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a nation situated along the "Pacific Ring of Fire," a region known for high seismic activity where tectonic plates meet, leading to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Prahista Dian, an East Java rescue official, stated that the agency had deployed dozens of personnel for the evacuation effort, with 956 individuals living near the volcano already relocated to schools, mosques, and government buildings.