Indonesia's volcano resumes eruption, 22 dead

So far 27 people are missing.

Published on 06/12/2021 - 13:03 By Willy Kurniawan e Tommy Adriansyah - Repórteres da Reuters - Sumberwuluh (Indonésia)

A volcano in Indonesia was active again this Monday (6), releasing hot clouds of ash, two days after a violent eruption killed at least 22 people and left dozens missing.

Mount Semeru, the highest mountain on the island of Java, erupted dramatically on Saturday (4), triggering an imposing column of ash that covered nearby villages.

Aerial footage showed roofs emerging from a landscape of ash, while on land military, police and residents churned up mud with their hands to remove casualties.

The death toll rose today to 22, and 27 people were missing, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency said.

The volcano erupted again on Monday, confirmed the Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Center for Volcanology and Geology on its Twitter account, warning of continued seismic activity.

"The Semeru is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, it will remain active," Liswanto, head of the Semeru Volcano Observatory, told Reuters.

Some villagers returned home to check their belongings and livestock, but Liswanto urged people to keep to a safe distance.

"People need to be more vigilant because the potential threat persists," he added.

* Additional reporting by Prasto Wardoyo and Agustinus Beo Da Costa

Text translated using artificial intelligence.

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