The largest archipelago in the world is a prestigious and exciting travel destination for many as it features a well-preserved culture, charming beaches, hiking trails, and lots of beautiful Islands. But besides the pleasant and sweet experience offered by Indonesia, some of the most feared natural creations also exist there. Indonesia is the country with the most active volcanoes in the world.
Some of the most active ones such as – Merapi, Dukono, Sinabung, and Semeru, experience eruptions that often result in lots of casualties and severe destruction of properties. Semeru particularly had been in a continuous state of activity since 2014, constantly emitting gases and revealing thermal activity.
8 About Mount Semeru
Mount Semeru is one of Indonesia's 142 active volcanoes located in Eastern Java. At 3,676 meters, it is the tallest mountain on the island of Java and has long had a history of several eruptions with some resulting in fatalities.
7 Mount Semeru's Warning Signs
According to the reports by the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation, VONA, in late 2020, the activity at Mount Semeru increased and began sending emissions of white gases into the air. This activity continued and intensified from November to December 2020 and soon began sending ash deposits and incandescent materials flowing down the mountain towards nearby villages, destroying farmlands and displacing residents. The increased activity continued until February 2021 and was eventually reduced.
6 One Of The Most Powerful Eruptions
On December 4, 2021, the day had started as a normal one in East Java, Indonesia, when all of a sudden, the tallest mountain on the Island unleashed its fury (For the second time in the space of one year) and proceeded so quickly that it became too late for people nearby to escape from the eruption which would eventually destroy properties and even claim some lives.
5 Most Recent Mount Semeru Volcanic Eruption
It was a dramatic day for the Island of Java on Saturday, December 4, 2021, when Mount Semeru erupted ferociously, filling the air with thick fumes of poisonous smoke and volcanic ash, which went on burying entire houses in tons of the suffocating debris. The sun was enveloped, and darkness descended on the Island as the thick smoke rose 15,000 meters into the sky. Businesses and schools were immediately shut down as people tried to escape from the disaster. Lots of trucks and small cars were completely buried in the ash and the ones that escaped being buried were ruined by falling pieces of the buildings and trees as the ash rained down hard.
4 The Dangers Of Volcanic Ash
After its first eruption on December 4, 2021, the mountains erupted again on December 6th, thereby resulting in more panic and destruction. According to BBC, up to 34 people had already lost their lives on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, due to the eruption, and with several others still missing in the layers of ash, the death toll could rise anytime soon. The ash which flowed like a flood even burned and injured many who initially mistook it for a flood coming from the ongoing rainfall. CNN also reported that a group even discovered the bodies of a man, woman, and a child lying dead as the ash buried them completely.
3 The Aftermath Of Mount Semeru's Recent Eruption
As the news of the disaster spread, Security officials, and volunteers made it to the site of Chaos to rescue those caught up in the disaster. While the ash-covered atmosphere made it difficult to carry out rescue, the rescuers swung into action, digging up trapped/buried individuals from the ash and collapsed buildings and transporting them to the nearest medical center for treatments. The rain that followed after the eruption even added weight to the ash and made it stronger, thereby making it more difficult to dig out properties and (possibly) people who might have been stuck in the ash.
Thousands of individuals have been left displaced and are now taking shelter in government set-up facilities. Farmlands, facilities, and animals have also been affected by the eruptions.
2 Cause Of The Eruption
In the first week of December 2021, the weather of Java was characterized by constant amounts of rainfall which were occasionally accompanied by thunderstorms. According to the Geological Agency of Indonesia, this consistent precipitation caused the collapse of a lava dome that had been building for some time and this collapse eventually led to the eruption.
1 Future Of Mount Semeru
With its history of eruptions, this is not the last eruption of Mount Semeru. The Indonesia Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has warned that there might be continuous intense activity on the mountain after the current eruption just like the previous year (2020); therefore residents who live nearby and travelers who wish to visit the Island are advised to apply absolute caution. To make sure people realize the dangers that loom here, the head of the Semeru Volcano Observatory – Liswanto, has also made it clear that Mount Semeru will continue to erupt after this (which is one more thing travelers heading to Indonesia have to worry about).