Semeru, Indonesia’s highest volcano close too almost 10 million people erupted early on Sunday, spewing a column of ash 1.5km into the air and prompting evacuations of residents just one week after Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, began to erupt in Hawaii!

Credit RSOE

The eruption of the volcano on Java island early on Sunday prompted tsunami fears in Japan. Indonesia’s highest volcano on its most densely populated island erupted early on Sunday, spewing a column of ash 1.5km into the air and prompting evacuations of residents from the eruption area.

Lava flowed down Semeru’s slopes, travelling toward a nearby river, while several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun, but no casualties have been reported.

Several hundred people were moved to temporary shelters or other safe areas, according to Joko Sambang who heads the disaster management agency in Lumajang, East Java province.

People were advised to stay 5km from the crater’s mouth, and avoid the southeastern sector area along the Besuk Kobokan river located about 13km (8 miles) from the crater.

Authorities issued their highest level of warning in response to the eruption, local media reported.

Japan’s Meteorology Agency was monitoring for the possibility of a tsunami after the eruption, the country’s public broadcaster NHK reported.

Semeru’s last major eruption was in December last year and left 51 people dead in villages that were buried in layers of mud. Several hundred others were injured with serious burns, and the eruption forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 villagers. The government moved about 2,970 houses out of the danger zone.

With 142 volcanoes, Indonesia has the largest population in the world living in close range to a volcano, including 8.6 million people living within 10km of this one.

An eruption of the 3,676-meter-high volcano, located about 850 kilometres southeast of the capital Jakarta, exactly one year ago led to the deaths of many people.

Last Sunday, a massive spike in earthquakes at the summit of Mauna Loa was put on alert for an eruption of the biggest active volcano in the world!

Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, began to erupt in Hawaii, the U.S., prompting officials to warn people living on Hawaii’s Big Island to be ready in the event of a worst-case scenario. 

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A massive spike in earthquake activity at the summit of Mauna Loa volcano, on Hawaii's Big Island has scientists on alert as the biggest active volcano in the world has begun to erupt! More than 300 earthquakes have been registered in the last few days under Mauna Loa!

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