Indonesia volcano, Mt. Semeru, eruption kills 13, dozens injured

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The death toll from a sudden, spectacular eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Semeru has risen to 13, disaster officials said Sunday, as rescuers searched villages blanketed in molten ash for survivors.

The eruption of Java’s biggest mountain caught locals by surprise on Saturday, sending thousands fleeing its path of destruction and forcing hundreds of families into makeshift shelters.

It left at least 11 villages of Lumajang district coated in volcanic ash, submerging houses, smothering livestock and leaving at least 900 evacuees seeking cover in mosques, schools and village halls.

Dramatic footage showed Semeru pumping a mushroom of ash into the sky, looming over screaming residents of a nearby village trying to escape.

“The death toll is now 13 people. Rescuers found more bodies,” national disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) spokesman Abdul Muhari told AFP.

As many as 10 trapped people were rescued from the surrounding areas in Lumajang, East Java province, Muhari said.

Local broadcaster Kompas TV reported those rescued were local workers at a sand mining site.

At least 57 people were injured in the eruption, of whom 41 suffered burns and were hospitalised, the BNPB said in a press release.

Lava destroyed at least one bridge in Lumajang and prevented rescuers from immediately accessing the area and those trapped in shelters.

But emergency service footage from one village on Sunday showed a desolate scene, with roofs of houses protruding from the coat of mud that had destroyed them.

The rescue teams were using heavy loaders to remove debris, Muhari said.

Locals have been advised to not travel within five kilometres of Semeru’s crater, and the air around it is highly polluted and could affect vulnerable groups, he added.

Officials have sent aid to shelters, including food, tarpaulins, face masks, and body bags.

Australia’s Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, which provides advice to the aviation industry, said the ash had dissipated around Semeru, according to satellite imagery.

Semeru’s alert status has remained at its second-highest level since its previous major eruption in December 2020, which also forced thousands to flee and left villages covered.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/indones...ozens-injured/

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Mount Semeru volcano: search for survivors suspended amid fresh eruption in Indonesia

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday, forcing rescuers to suspend the search for survivors as aerial images showed the extent of the devastation unleashed by the volcano’s deadly weekend eruption.

People living near the volcano were earlier on Monday warned to remain vigilant after the eruption, as heavy wind and rain brought search-and-rescue efforts to a halt.

The tallest mountain on the island of Java erupted dramatically on Saturday, shooting a towering column of ash into the sky which blanketed surrounding villages. Fourteen people were killed and dozens more injured.

Aerial photos showed entire streets filled with grey volcanic ash and mud, which had swallowed many homes and vehicles, including whole trucks.

“All evacuation teams have been pulled out ... temporarily because there was a small fresh eruption and it could endanger the evacuation teams,” rescue worker Rizal Purnama said.

“The search will continue today once the situation is a bit safer.”

Dozens of people remain missing, he added.

Dangerous thick plumes of smoke continued to emerge from areas blanketed by the volcanic ash, while rescuers in hardhats tried to dig through the mud to try and find survivors – and recover bodies.

Their task was made more difficult as the volcanic debris had started to harden. “It’s very difficult ... with simple tools,” Purnama said.

The head of the Semeru Volcano Observatory, Liswanto, had previously warned residents to keep a safe distance from the mountain, amid reports that some had returned to their homes to check on belongings and livestock.

“The status of Mount Semeru is still at level 2, which means at this level people need to be more vigilant because the potential threat is still there,” he said.

More than 50 people had suffered injuries from the initial eruption, mostly burns. Lava flows destroyed a strategic bridge connecting two areas in the nearby district of Lumajang with the city of Malang.

In the Sumberwuluh area, where two trucks lay half-buried by volcanic ash, recovery efforts came to an abrupt halt because of strong winds, a witness said.

Public kitchens and health facilities have been set up for more than 1,000 people who have been displaced.

Officials advised locals not to travel within 5km of Semeru’s crater, as the nearby air is highly polluted and could affect vulnerable groups.

Ash from Semeru travelled up to 4km away after the Saturday eruption, Indonesia’s geological agency reported.

A sand mine company’s office in Kampung Renteng village was buried after the eruption, trapping 15 people inside, according to the foreman, Hasim, 65.

“There’s no news from them,” he said. “Only one operator was rescued, he’s now at the hospital with burns.”

A trauma healing team to work with children affected by the eruption has been dispatched, CNN Indonesia reported, while hundreds of aid packages – including rice, blankets and clothes and other basic necessities – have been sent to the area.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...s-in-indonesia

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Indonesia bolsters recovery efforts after volcano kills 34

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo promised on Tuesday to bolster evacuation efforts and repair damaged homes after visiting the site of a volcanic eruption on Java that has killed at least 34 people.

The 3,676-metre Mt Semeru volcano erupted on Saturday sending a cloud of ash into the sky and dangerous pyroclastic flows into villages below.

Thousands of people have been displaced and 17 remain missing, according to the disaster mitigation agency.

After visiting evacuation centres and surveying the area by helicopter, getting an aerial view of villages submerged in molten ash, the president said recovery efforts would be bolstered now and in the months ahead.

"I came to the site to ensure that we have the forces to locate the victims," said the president, speaking from Sumberwuluh, one of the worst-hit areas.

"We hope that after everything has subsided, that everything can start - fixing infrastructure or even relocating those from the places we predict are too dangerous to return to."

At least 2,000 homes would need to be relocated to safer areas, he said.

Search and rescue efforts continued on Tuesday but have been hampered by wind and rain, and limited equipment in some areas.

Mt Semeru erupted three times on Tuesday. Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said on Monday there was potential for further flows of hot gas, ash and rocks.

Mt Semeru is one of more than 100 active volcanoes in Indonesia, in an area of high seismic activity atop multiple tectonic plates known as the "Pacific Ring of Fire".

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/22...lcano-kills-34