A volcano erupted in Java: “The lava dome probably collapsed”

The plume of smoke above the volcano is fifteen kilometers high and the volcano spews hot ash 1500 meters into the air. The ash then spreads within a radius of seven kilometres.

“This eruption is larger than normal,” KNMI volcanologist Elske de Zeeuw told RTL Nieuws. “The volcano has been erupting regularly since 2014, so the eruption is not very strange for this volcano. This morning the eruption was a bit more intense. The last time the ash rose this high was one year ago.”

“At the top of the volcano, there is a lava dome. I suspect it was weakened by heavy rains and collapsed,” de Zeeuw explains. “As a result, the magma rises faster. This also happened exactly a year ago.” This December 4, 2021 eruption killed more than fifty people.

Highest alarm level

As a precautionary measure, the authorities declared the highest state of alert, and around 2,000 people were evacuated from the six surrounding villages. No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.

“I expect him to stay restless for a few days,” said de Zeeuw. “Only when the situation is stable again will people be able to return home.”

“Living with the Volcano”

When local residents return home, they continue to live next to a volcano. It sounds scary, but locals are used to living with the volcano.

“People there live with the volcano. Farmers grow crops on the volcanic soil. Now people also need the volcano, they are used to it.”