Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
Lifestyle
Asharq Al-Awsat

Indonesia’s Semeru Volcano Spews Ash Into Sky

FILE: Lava flows from a volcano in Iceland March 21 - REUTERS/Sigtryggur Johannsson

Indonesia's Semeru volcano on the east of Java island erupted on Saturday, spewing out clouds of smoke and ash and sending residents running in some nearby areas including the district of Lumajang.

No damage to buildings or casualties were reported, the country's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said in a statement, adding that the local disaster agency was setting up evacuation tents.

Videos shared by the BNPB showed local residents running as towering smoke and ash blanketed some nearby villages in East Java province, Reuters reported.

Volcanic ash and hot clouds were detected in the area at about 3 p.m. (0800 GMT), said Abdul Muhari, a BNPB official.

Thoriqul Haq, district head of Lumajang near Semeru, told Reuters that the road and bridge connecting Lumajang and the nearby city of Malang were severed.

"This has been a very pressing, rapid condition since it erupted," he said. Haq added that evacuations were underway, but did not give details.

Semeru is among Indonesia's nearly 130 active volcanoes.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.