Indonesia has put Mt. Semeru on a level-three alert, the second highest status, as it has shown heightening volcanic activity, spewing thick hot clouds and lava in the past 24 hours.
The head of the Geological Agency at the country's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Eko Budi Lelono, said Friday that the lava flow was still unstable. The volcano could strike at least up to a radius of two kilometers from its crater.
Another explosion is highly possible due to the high intensity of rainfall around the volcano, which might cause an increase in lava flow, Lelono said in a written statement.
The higher alert status of Mt. Semeru started on Thursday evening. /VCG
Located in Lumajang district of East Java province, Mt. Semeru massively erupted on December 4.
As of December 15, the death toll had reached 48, according to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
The BNPB has confirmed that search and rescue activities for victims are on hold out of concern for the safety of rescuers and volunteers.
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