At least 13 people died in a volcanic eruption in Indonesia | News from Germany on world events | Dw

At least 13 people were killed and about 100 injured in the volcanic eruption in Indonesia. It was reported on Sunday, December 5, by Reuters, citing the government’s disaster relief agency (BNPB).

The eruption of the Semeru volcano – the highest on the island of Java (3676 meters above sea level) – began the day before. Hot ash fell on nearby villages. A bridge connecting the two districts in Lumajang District was destroyed. More than 900 people were evacuated from the disaster area, according to the BNPB.

Indonesia is located in the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire” – an area of ​​high seismic activity, where various plates of the earth’s crust collide and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Semeru is one of 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. Its previous eruption in January 2021 was fatal.

see also:

• The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Ash cloud

  The eruption of Mount Agung in northeastern Bali began over the weekend. As a result, nearby resorts and villages were covered with a thin layer of ash. Dark gray clouds above the summit of the volcano were visible in the island’s capital, Denpasar, and even from the neighboring island of Lombok.

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  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Lava flow ejection

  As night fell, a bright glow from the crater illuminated an ash cloud that rose 6,000 meters above the summit of Mount Agung. It began showing signs of activity back in September, prompting local authorities to raise the volcano’s hazard status to emergency and evacuate 140,000 people living nearby. However, later, on October 29, the danger level was lowered.

• 

  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Highest point in Bali

  The Agung volcano is 3142 meters high and is the highest point of the island. As a result of gas and ash emissions, the work of two airports at once was stopped – on the island of Bali and on the neighboring island of Lombok.

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  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Paradise under the ashes

  Bali Island is the main tourist center of Indonesia. Beautiful ocean beaches, temples and lush forests attract about 5 million tourists a year. But according to Made Sugiri, a spokesman for the local Mahagiri Panoramic hotel, the number of visitors has dropped in recent months: “We are out of the danger zone, but, as in other resorts in the region, of course, the eruptions are causing an outflow of tourists.”

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  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  “Still Safe”

  Indonesia’s Emergency Management Agency points out that Bali is “still safe” for tourists. Agung’s emergency status remained at 3 over the weekend (one point below the highest hazard), the agency said in a statement. At the same time, despite a number of eruptions, volcanic activity remains relatively stable.

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  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Airports closed

  The situation was different with the status of air travel over the island – on Sunday, November 26, the level of danger here reached the highest – red – mark. Although many flights continued to operate, hundreds of people were stranded. As a result, the airport on the island of Lombok was first closed, and then the main international airport Ngurah Rai in Bali.

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  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Exclusion zone around the volcano

  As a result of the latest lava emissions, about 25,000 people have fled their homes. The authorities urged everyone inside the exclusion zone within a radius of 7.5 kilometers from the volcano’s crater to evacuate immediately. Mount Agung is one of over 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia. Its last major eruption, which happened in 1963, killed more than a thousand people.

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  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Magma and ash

  Volcanologists described the renewed activity of the Agung volcano on November 25 as a phreatic explosion, that is, an eruption with evaporation of smoke caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater. On November 26, authorities said a magmatic eruption had already begun, judging by the settling of the ash.

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  The eruption of Mount Agung in Bali

  Bali precautions

  “Mount Agung is still spewing ash, but we need to watch closely and be prepared for a more powerful, explosive eruption,” warns Indonesian volcanologist Gede Suantika. Soldiers and police are handing out protective masks to people in nearby villages and resorts.

  Author: Elena Barysheva

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