Death toll rises to 13 in Indonesia volcano eruption 

Jakarta: The death toll following the eruption of a volcano on Indonesia’s island, Java has risen to 13, with seven people still missing, officials said Sunday.

As per details, more than 300 families with children took shelter in badly hit Curah Kerobokan village in Lumajang after their houses were destroyed by volcanic ash and lava.

Several villages were blanketed with falling ash in Indonesia’s most densely populated island.  

As per Eko Budi Lelono, who heads the geological survey center, a thunderstorm and days of rain, which eroded and collapsed the lava dome atop the 3,676-meter (12,060-foot) Semeru, triggered the eruption.

Videos shared on Saturday by the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) showed residents running in panic as towering smoke and ash blanketed some nearby villages in Lumajang district.

As per reports, thick columns of ash have turned several villages to darkness and several hundred people were moved to temporary shelters or left for other safe areas.

Authorities were setting up evacuation tents, but evacuations have been hampered by thick smoke, BNPB chief Suharyanto said.

Catatan yang dihimpun Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG), guguran lava pijar teramati dengan jarak luncur kurang lebih 500-800 meter dengan pusat guguran berada kurang lebih 500 meter di bawah kawah. pic.twitter.com/i3IorFweRf

— BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) December 4, 2021

The eruption took place at about 14:30 local time (07:30 GMT). Local authorities have set up a restricted zone within 5km (3 miles) from the crater.

Airlines have been warned of an ash cloud rising up to 15,000m (50,000 ft).

Mt Semeru was quite an active volcano that regularly spewed ash up to about 4,300m, but Yesterday’s eruption was a pretty intense.

Mt Semeru rises 3 676m above sea level and previously erupted last December, forcing thousands of residents to seek shelter. It is among Indonesia’s nearly 130 active volcanoes.

Moreover, Indonesia is on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where continental plates meet, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activity.

Videos shared by emergency officials and local media showed residents running away as a giant ash cloud rose behind them.