Indonesia raises volcano warning to highest after Semeru erupts

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The Indonesian authorities raised the warning on Semeru volcano to the highest level on 4 December 2022 after an eruption spewed a column of ash high into the air.

The  eruption in the Semeru volcano located in the  East Java province follows a series of earthquakes on the west of the island, including one last month that killed more than 300 people.

The eruption started on 3 December 2022 and the plume from the volcano reached a height of 50,000 feet (15 km).

The Indonesian authorities have started the evacuation of people including children and seniors, living near the volcano.

Mount Semeru last erupted in December 2021, killing at least 69 people. At that time the eruption had left entire streets filled with mud and ash, swallowing homes and vehicles, with nearly 10,000 people seeking refuge.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.

Indonesia has around 142 volcanoes and it has the largest population (86 lakh) in the world living within 10 km close range to volcanoes.