Jakarta, December 4: Semeru volcano on Indonesia's Java island erupted on Sunday, spewing a 1.5-km high ash column, authorities said. As of Sunday afternoon, the country's Volcano Disaster Mitigation of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has raised its volcanic alert level for Semeru volcano to level 4, the highest level of a four-tier volcanic alert system.

The authorities said they had been evacuating residents of the two nearest villages, Supit Urang village and Sumber Wuluh village, and had warned other locals to stay away at least 13 kilometre from the eruption range, Xinhua news agency reported. Mount Semeru Volcano Erupts In Indonesia's East Java Province, Spews Thick Columns of Ash In Air (Watch Video).

Visuals From Indonesia:

"We've also told all people living surrounding the volcano to not do any activities around Besuk Kobokan riverside as the river has a potential to flow hot clouds and lava," the spokesman of Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari, said in a written statement. Indonesia: Mount Semeru Volcanic Eruption Raises Alert for Other Active Volcanos in the Country.

On December 4, 2021, the Semeru volcano also erupted, killing at least 51 people and injuring 169 others.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 04, 2022 06:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).