Volcanic eruption at Indonesia's Mount Semeru sends ash over 6,500 feet into the sky, threatening air traffic
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, which is responsible for the airspace around Southeast Asia, issued a Volcanic Ash Advisory for air traffic stating that the eruption is posing an immediate threat to aviation.
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SURABAYA, Indonesia – Indonesia's Mount Semeru volcano erupted Wednesday afternoon around 4:00 p.m. local time, sending ash more than 6,500 feet into the air, according to data from the country's Center for Volcanology.
The eruption was ongoing as of Wednesday evening local time.
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Screenshot from Indonesian officials of hot volcanic ash surrounding infrastructure some 8 miles from the peak of Mount Semeru.
(Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi / FOX Weather)
Indonesian officials raised Mount Semeru's volcano activity level to Level 4, its highest warning, denoting an ongoing eruption.
According to state-run media, Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency announced roughly 300 people from nearby villages had been evacuated to shelters.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology's Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, which is responsible for the airspace around Southeast Asia, issued a Volcanic Ash Advisory for air traffic stating that the eruption is posing an immediate threat to aviation.
Image of ash at Mount Semeru after Wednesday's eruption.
(MAGMA Indonesia / FOX Weather)
The government prohibited people from entering within a roughly 12-mile radius of the volcano due to potential hot ash clouds or lava flows.
Officials released a screenshot of hot volcanic ash surrounding infrastructure some 8 miles from Mount Semeru's peak.
Ejected pyroclastic rocks are possible 5 miles away from Mount Semeru's peak, according to the government's warning.
![FILE - This photo taken on Oct. 1, 2023 shows volcanic materials spewing from Mount Semeru, as seen from Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia.]()
Image 1 of 2FILE - This photo taken on Oct. 1, 2023 shows volcanic materials spewing from Mount Semeru, as seen from Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia. ((Photo by Dwi Sasongko/Xinhua via Getty Images))
![FILE - This photo taken on Oct. 1, 2023 shows volcanic materials spewing from Mount Semeru, as seen from Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia.]()
Image 2 of 2This photo taken on Oct. 1, 2023 shows volcanic materials spewing from Mount Semeru, as seen from Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia. ((Photo by Dwi Sasongko/Xinhua via Getty Images))
With a summit more than 5,500 feet above sea level, Mount Semeru is the tallest volcano on the island of Java and is one of the region's most active volcanoes, according to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Project.
Mount Semeru is classified as a stratovolcano and most recently erupted on Nov. 6.
Check for updates on this developing story.