Thousands evacuated after Indonesia’s tallest volcano, Mount Semeru, spewed hot volcanic ash 50,000 feet into the sky and unleashed a river of lava, while Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano’s lava is nearing a crucial highway.
Thousands evacuated in Indonesia Mount Semeru volcano eruption
Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupted on Sunday, spewing a plume of hot volcanic ash some 50,000 feet into the sky, with authorities raising the volcano’s warning status to the highest level and evacuating nearly 2000 people, BBC reported.
Authorities warned people in the vicinity to stay at least five miles away as a river of lava poured from the volcano, which authorities referred to as “hot avalanches.”
Volcanic ash mixed with monsoon rain, turning the sky black as ash blocked sunlight. The mixture fell on at least six villages that had to be evacuated, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
The eruption also prompted Japan to issue a tsunami warning for its southernmost islands, although meteorologists said no tidal changes had been observed.
Semeru’s eruption follows a series of earthquakes that occurred on the west of Java Island, located roughly 400 miles east of Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, including one last month that killed more than 300 people.
About Mount Semeru
Mount Semeru is located in East Java province. The eruption began around 2:46 local time.
Semeru is called “The Great Mountain” and is the highest volcano in Java, standing at 12,060 feet. It’s also one of the most active, having had at least 55 recorded eruptions since 1818.
Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates collide, which causes frequent earthquakes, as well as volcanic activity. Indonesia has roughly 130 active volcanoes.
Lava from Hawaii Mauna Loa volcano inching toward crucial highway and could cause major disruptions
The lava flow that is emerging from a deep fracture in Mauna Loa is inching toward the crucial Daniel K. Inouye Highway, a major artery connecting two sides of this island, and is now roughly 2 miles away, CNN reported.
The lava was crawling toward the highway at about 40 feet per hour, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Experts say it is unlikely that any attempts will be made to redirect the lava flow, mostly due to a history of expensive past failures.
The USGS also said the unpredictable nature of eruptions makes it hard to determine if or when the level will reach the highway.
If the lava does reach the road, it will render the highway on the Big Island impassable, the Daily Mail reported.
Hawaii Gov. David Ige said that if the lava closes the highway, it could cause commuting times for residents to grow by hours if they are forced to find alternative routes in the North and South.
