Videos of Semeru volcanic eruption take internet by storm

At least 13 people have died and dozens were injured after the Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupted, news agency Reuters has reported quoting the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB). Deep layers of ash have engulfed the area and rescue operations are currently underway.

The Semeru volcano on the tallest mountain on Java island erupted on Saturday, spewing towers of ash and hot clouds. Soon after, people in the country’s East Java province panicked and fled for their lives.

The eruption was accompanied by a thunderstorm and rain, which pushed lava and smoldering debris, and formed thick mud that destroyed at least one bridge connecting two main villages of Pronojiwo and Candipuro. It also hampered the evacuation process, Lumajang district head Thoriqul Haq told TVOne, the Associated Press reported.

The bridge connecting the nearby district of Lumajang with the city of Malang was destroyed and buildings wrecked by the eruption, Reuters reported.

Videos shot moments after the Semeru volcano erupted have taken the internet by storm.

Semeru… pic.twitter.com/0lW17U5nBp

— Burhan Ar (@MBurhanuddin3) December 4, 2021

Another footage of #Semeru #Eruption on Java island in #Indonesia pic.twitter.com/vgKWwjBTwf

— Disaster (@Disastervid) December 4, 2021

Lahar dingin pic.twitter.com/j1Gh0fwCZH

— Burhan Ar (@MBurhanuddin3) December 4, 2021

Mt. Semeru, East Java, Indonesia, this afternoon pic.twitter.com/ln4sGtEMdj

— DARYONO BMKG (@DaryonoBMKG) December 4, 2021

#volcano #eruption Mount #Semeru erupts Java island #Indonesia. The state of the Gladak Perak bridge connecting Lumajang – Malang is cut off pic.twitter.com/n3P0Pc6hpb

— Aleksander Onishchuk (@Brave_spirit81) December 4, 2021

🙏#Semeru #SemeruVolcano #SemeruEruption #Indonesia #VolcanSemeru #Volcano #VolcanoEruption #SemeruIndonesia #IndonesiaVolcano pic.twitter.com/R64Ry3Pxij

— Juaritos (@Juaritos__) December 4, 2021

Another footage of #Semeru #Eruption on Java island in #Indonesia pic.twitter.com/1IMOFdLwB4

— Journalist Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) December 5, 2021

Situated at a height of over 3,600 metres, Semeru is among the nearly 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. The volcano had also erupted in January this year. But no casualties were reported back then.

With a population of over 270 million, the archipelago of Indonesia straddles the Pacific Ring of Fire. It is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.

An eruption of the Merapi volcano on Java island had killed over 350 people and displaced 4,00,000 back in 2010.