Thousands Flee as Indonesia's Mount Semeru Volcano Erupts, at Least 13 Dead
Mount Semeru is the tallest mountain on Indonesia’s Java island.
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At least 13 people were killed and dozens were injured after Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano erupted on Sunday, 5 December, reported news agency AFP.
In a statement, Indonesia's National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) said that the eruption has wounded at least 98 others, including two pregnant women. Mount Semeru is the tallest mountain on Indonesia’s Java island and its eruption threw up a cloud of ash and hot clouds that blanketed nearby villages in the East Java province.
In a dramatic viral video posted on social media, people can be seen fleeing as plumes of volcanic ash is thrown up by the eruption.
According to AFP, the eruption left at least 11 villages in Lumajang district covered in volcanic ash, forcing several families into mosques and makeshift tents.
In a press release, the BNPB stated that at least 57 people were injured in the eruption, of whom 41 suffered burns.
Indonesia sits on the 'Pacific Ring of Fire,' a highly seismic and earthquake active zone. Mount Semeru had erupted earlier in January as well, however no causalities were reported.
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