Indonesia's Mount Semeru volcano erupts seven times in just three hours
Authorities warn people to avoid activities within 500 metres of the Besuk Kobokan riverbank.
Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano in East Java erupted seven times in three hours early on Wednesday, sending volcanic ash up to 800 metres above its peak, state-run media reported.
The first eruption occurred at 4:58 am (2158GMT Tuesday), producing a thick grey ash plume drifting northeast, according to Antara news agency.
Seismic activity recorded a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and lasted 138 seconds.
Subsequent eruptions followed at 6:10 (2310 GMT) am and 6:56 am (2356 GMT), with ash rising between 300 and 700 metres, while another eruption at 7:05 am (0005 GMT) sent a 600-meter-high column northwards.
The fifth eruption reached up to 800 metres, and two more eruptions were later reported as authorities continued to monitor the volcano.
Authorities warned people to avoid activities within 500 metres of the Besuk Kobokan riverbank, as hot clouds and lava flows could travel up to 17 kilometres from the volcano’s peak.
Indonesia, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic activity and is home to more than 120 active volcanoes.