No casualties or property damage reported so far by authorities.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) – Mt. Semeru, the highest and most active volcano on Indonesia’s Java island, belched out thick clouds of smoke and ash on Saturday, sparking panic among residents.
No casualties or damages were reported by the disaster mitigation agency of East Java.
Videos circulating on social media and broadcast by local news channels showed people scrambling for safety as massive plumes of smoke and ash rise from the towering volcano.
The eruption started at around 3.20 p.m. (0820GMT), according to the agency.
It said teams have been dispatched to nearby areas in East Java’s Lumajang district.
Mt. Semeru, which stands 3,676 meters (over 12,000 feet) above sea level, previously erupted in December 2020 and January this year.
Indonesia, an archipelago home to nearly 275 million people, sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area with several fault lines, making it prone to frequent volcanic activity and earthquakes.