Mount Semeru Eruption, 1 Died, 41 Suffered Burns

Lumajang, MINA – At least one person was killed and dozens injured after Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano erupted on Saturday sending thick smoke and ash blanketing villages forcing residents to panic for safety.

A video shared by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) shows residents running as plumes of smoke and ash rise, Anadolu Agency reported.

Indah Masdar, Deputy Regent of Lumajang, said at a press conference on Saturday night that one person died and 41 people suffered burns.

He also said around 400 families had been evacuated, but at least 10 people were still trapped because of the difficulty of evacuation.

BNPB head Suharyanto said two helicopters had been deployed for the evacuation effort.

However, operations were hampered by thick smoke.

The eruption started at around 03.20 p.m. (0820GMT), according to the agency.

Mount Semeru, at 3,676 meters (more than 12,000 feet) above sea level, previously erupted in December 2020 and January this year.

Indonesia, an archipelagic nation of nearly 275 million people, lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area with multiple fault lines that make it vulnerable to volcanic activity and earthquakes. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)