Mt. Semeru Eruption: As Death Toll Rises, Search for Survivors Halted Due to Deadly Conditions

Mount Semeru in Indonesia erupted again on Monday, forcing rescuers to halt their hunt for survivors as overhead photographs revealed the depth of the destruction caused by the volcano's catastrophic weekend eruption.

Residents living near the volcano were advised earlier on Monday to stay careful following the eruption, while search-and-rescue activities were halted due to severe wind and rain.

Officials announced on Sunday that the tallest volcano on Indonesia's most heavily populated island of Java erupted, killing at least 14 people.

Abdul Muhari, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said at least 14 villagers perished from severe burns, and 56 were hospitalized, with 41 of them suffering from burn injuries.

Smoldering rubble and heavy muck impeded search attempts, leaving nine people missing.

Semeru Eruption

On Saturday, heavy rains prompted a dramatic eruption of Mount Semeru in East Java province, shooting thick columns of ash more than 12,000 meters into the sky and splattering scorching gas and lava down its slopes.

Several hundred individuals were transferred to makeshift shelters or evacuated for other safe regions, according to Lumajang district director Thoriqul Haq, who added that a power outage delayed the evacuation.

Rescue Attempts

According to Haq, debris and lava coupled with rainwater created thick mud that collapsed the major bridge between Lumajang and Malang's neighboring district and a smaller bridge.

Semeru's alert status has remained at the third highest of four categories since it began erupting last year, despite an uptick in activity since Wednesday.

He said rescuers were still looking for seven people and sand miners who had gone missing near a river in Curah Kobokan hamlet.

Volcanic debris destroyed whole buildings in the community, forcing over 900 people to flee to temporary government shelters, according to Muhari.

After sensors detected increased activity in the last week, Liswanto, the head of Semeru's monitoring post, said his office had alerted the community and miners that hot ash may fall from Semeru's crater at any time.

Seeking Refuge

However, several locals who sought refuge at a government shelter near the Lumajang district's headquarters claim that officials failed to provide them with any information on the volcano's activity.

"All of a sudden, the brilliant day changed into the night, and a rumbling sound and heat pushed us to flee to the mosque," Fatmah, a resident of Curah Kobokan, some 5 kilometers from the crater, said. "It was a far more powerful eruption than the one in January."

Adita Irawati, a spokesman for the Transportation Ministry, said her agency issued a notification on Saturday advising all airlines to avoid routes near the volcano. According to her, flight operations are continuing as planned, and officials will continue to monitor the situation.

People in Panic

According to television reports, people screamed and ran beneath a massive ash cloud, their faces drenched from rain combined with volcanic dust. There were no fatalities the last time Semeru erupted, in January.

Because it sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped sequence of fault lines, Indonesia, an island of more than 270 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.*

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