<p>Indonesia’s highest volcano on its most densely populated island of Java erupted, spewing large gas clouds and a river of lava, on early Sunday. This prompted the authorities to issue the highest level warning and begin the evacuation of at least 93 residents of East Java province to shelters, said the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB).&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the BNPB, the Mount Semeru volcano&nbsp;began erupting at 2:46 am (local time). Subsequently, the lava flowed from Semeru’s slopes, while the thick column of smoke reached at least 1.5 km in height and ash blanketed the nearby areas blocking out the sun, said reports.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Gunungapi Semeru kembali muntahkan Awan Panas Guguran (APG) pada hari Minggu (4/12) sejak pukul 02.46 WIB, dengan kolom abu teramati berwarna kelabu dengan intensitas sedang hingga tebal ke arah tenggara dan selatan setinggi kurang lebih 1.500 meter di atas puncak. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Semeru?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Semeru</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/APG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#APG</a> <a href="https://t.co/v3mtSR4ILW">pic.twitter.com/v3mtSR4ILW</a></p>
— BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNPB_Indonesia/status/1599232889014874112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>Several hundred people have been moved to temporary shelters and safe areas, said Joko Sambang, head of the disaster management agency in Lumajang, East Java province.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The increased activity, on Sunday afternoon, led the authorities to widen the danger zone from 5 km to 8 km from the mouth of the crater, said Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre (PVMBG).&nbsp;</p>

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<p>He added that people have also been asked to stay away from the southeastern part of the Besuk Kobokan River at the risk of encountering the path of the lava flow. Furthermore, the level of volcanic activity in the area was raised from level III to level IV, said the PVMBG chief. He also said that the hot ash clouds reached as far as 19 km from the site of the eruption.</p>

<p>This comes after the island of Java witnessed a series of earthquakes&nbsp;on the west of the island. Semeru’s eruption in December last year had killed more than 50 people, left several missing, and thousands displaced.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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Indonesia’s highest volcano on its most densely populated island of Java erupted, spewing large gas clouds and a river of lava, on early Sunday. This prompted the authorities to issue the highest level warning and begin the evacuation of at least 93 residents of East Java province to shelters, said the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB).

Indonesia’s highest volcano on its most densely populated island of Java erupted, spewing large gas clouds and a river of lava, on early Sunday. This prompted the authorities to issue the highest level warning and begin the evacuation of at least 93 residents of East Java province to shelters, said the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB). According to the BNPB, the Mount Semeru volcano began erupting at 2:46 am (local time). Subsequently, the lava flowed from Semeru’s slopes, while the thick column of smoke reached at least 1.5 km in height and ash blanketed the nearby areas blocking out the sun, said reports. Gunungapi Semeru kembali muntahkan Awan Panas Guguran (APG) pada hari Minggu (4/12) sejak pukul 02.46 WIB, dengan kolom abu teramati berwarna kelabu dengan intensitas sedang hingga tebal ke arah tenggara dan selatan setinggi kurang lebih 1.500 meter di atas puncak. #Semeru #APG pic.twitter.com/v3mtSR4ILW — BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) December 4, 2022 × Several hundred people have been moved to temporary shelters and safe areas, said Joko Sambang, head of the disaster management agency in Lumajang, East Java province. ALSO WATCH | Indonesia: Mount Semeru volcano erupts; hundreds evacuated The increased activity, on Sunday afternoon, led the authorities to widen the danger zone from 5 km to 8 km from the mouth of the crater, said Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre (PVMBG). ALSO READ | 5.7 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia's Java island, one injured He added that people have also been asked to stay away from the southeastern part of the Besuk Kobokan River at the risk of encountering the path of the lava flow. Furthermore, the level of volcanic activity in the area was raised from level III to level IV, said the PVMBG chief. He also said that the hot ash clouds reached as far as 19 km from the site of the eruption. This comes after the island of Java witnessed a series of earthquakes on the west of the island. Semeru’s eruption in December last year had killed more than 50 people, left several missing, and thousands displaced. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Mount Semeru volcano erupts, Indonesia issue warning of highest level, evacuates people

<p>The search and rescue operation has been impacted after Indonesia's Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday (December 6). The volcano had erupted on Saturday and left dozens with burns, forcing thousands to flee as a huge cloud of hot ash engulfed villages in eastern Java.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency informed that the devastating volcanic eruption has killed at least 22 people and left dozens missing as per the data as of Monday. In the aftermath, the emergency services and volunteers are helping to clear rubble from houses in Indonesian villages.&nbsp;</p>

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<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-bomber-carries-out-mine-laying-exercise-in-south-china-sea-434578"><img alt="Mount Semeru" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c66fe070-8996-4713-9bdc-ffb07dd7c809" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2021-12-06T133315Z_1_LYNXMPEHB50K2_RTROPTP_4_INDONESIA-VOLCANO.JPG" /></a></strong></p>

<p><em>(Image: An area affected by the eruption of Mount Semeru volcano is pictured in Sumber Wuluh Village. Credit: Reuters)</em></p>

<p><em><img alt="Volcano" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5a2bb3a6-63e8-463f-aa44-eaade05bfca9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2021-12-06T133315Z_1_LYNXMPEHB50JZ_RTROPTP_4_INDONESIA-VOLCANO.JPG" /></em></p>

<p><em>(Image:&nbsp;Sumber Wuluh Village, Lumajang, East Java province,&nbsp;Indonesia taken on December 6, 2021. Credit: Reuters)</em></p>

<p>Indonesian President Joko Widodo had ordered the emergency services to take necessary measures at the disaster site. "After receiving a report about the eruption of Mount Semeru yesterday, I ordered the Head of BNPB, Basarnas, relevant ministers, the TNI Commander, National Police Chief, Governor and Regent to take emergency response steps as soon as possible at the disaster site," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Aerial photos and videos show the extent of devastation as entire streets were spotted filled with grey volcanic ash and mud, which had swallowed many homes and vehicles. Indonesia's geological agency reported that ash from Semeru travelled up to four kilometres away after the Saturday eruption.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mount Semeru erupted sending a wall of hot clouds barrelling down towards nearby villages. <a href="https://t.co/TQL9UT29Xy">pic.twitter.com/TQL9UT29Xy</a></p>
— Nuice Media (Taylor’s version) (@nuicemedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/nuicemedia/status/1467063377776177152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Indonesian active volcano Mount Semeru erupted today for the second time in months creating an ash cloud rising up to 15,000m (50,000 ft) [read more, videos: <a href="https://t.co/oESu1pM2C7">https://t.co/oESu1pM2C7</a>] <a href="https://t.co/VEKyUm3ff6">pic.twitter.com/VEKyUm3ff6</a></p>
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rainmaker1973/status/1467110920732221440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The initial eruption led to chaos, now fresh volcanic activities on Monday hampered search efforts, forcing rescue teams to pull out from some areas. "There was a small fresh eruption and it could endanger the evacuation teams," said rescue worker Rizal Purnama.</p>

<p>Rescuers tried to dig through the mud to try and find survivors and recover bodies but dangerous thick plumes of smoke continued to emerge from areas blanketed by the volcanic ash, posing hurdles to search and rescue. &nbsp;</p>


The search and rescue operation has been impacted after Indonesia's Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday (December 6). The volcano had erupted on Saturday and left dozens with burns, forcing thousands to flee as a huge cloud of hot ash engulfed villages in eastern Java.

The search and rescue operation has been impacted after Indonesia's Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday (December 6). The volcano had erupted on Saturday and left dozens with burns, forcing thousands to flee as a huge cloud of hot ash engulfed villages in eastern Java. In a statement, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency informed that the devastating volcanic eruption has killed at least 22 people and left dozens missing as per the data as of Monday. In the aftermath, the emergency services and volunteers are helping to clear rubble from houses in Indonesian villages. ALSO READ | China's bomber carries out mine laying exercise in South China Sea (Image: An area affected by the eruption of Mount Semeru volcano is pictured in Sumber Wuluh Village. Credit: Reuters) (Image: Sumber Wuluh Village, Lumajang, East Java province, Indonesia taken on December 6, 2021. Credit: Reuters) Indonesian President Joko Widodo had ordered the emergency services to take necessary measures at the disaster site. "After receiving a report about the eruption of Mount Semeru yesterday, I ordered the Head of BNPB, Basarnas, relevant ministers, the TNI Commander, National Police Chief, Governor and Regent to take emergency response steps as soon as possible at the disaster site," he said. Aerial photos and videos show the extent of devastation as entire streets were spotted filled with grey volcanic ash and mud, which had swallowed many homes and vehicles. Indonesia's geological agency reported that ash from Semeru travelled up to four kilometres away after the Saturday eruption. ALSO READ | How China's 'greyzone warfare' is designed to subdue the enemy Mount Semeru erupted sending a wall of hot clouds barrelling down towards nearby villages. pic.twitter.com/TQL9UT29Xy — Nuice Media (Taylor’s version) (@nuicemedia) December 4, 2021 × Indonesian active volcano Mount Semeru erupted today for the second time in months creating an ash cloud rising up to 15,000m (50,000 ft) [read more, videos: https://t.co/oESu1pM2C7] pic.twitter.com/VEKyUm3ff6 — Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) December 4, 2021 × The initial eruption led to chaos, now fresh volcanic activities on Monday hampered search efforts, forcing rescue teams to pull out from some areas. "There was a small fresh eruption and it could endanger the evacuation teams," said rescue worker Rizal Purnama. Rescuers tried to dig through the mud to try and find survivors and recover bodies but dangerous thick plumes of smoke continued to emerge from areas blanketed by the volcanic ash, posing hurdles to search and rescue.

Indonesia: Death toll rises as volcano erupts again, aerial photos show extent of devastation

Indonesia's Mount Semeru erupts; 1 dead, several evacuated