An Indonesian volcano has erupted dramatically, sending a massive ash cloud 54,000 feet into the sky, prompting Australia to issue a red flight safety alert.

Mount Semeru erupted on Wednesday, leading Indonesia’s volcanology agency to elevate the alert level for Java Island’s highest peak to its most critical stage.

The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) in Australia released a warning regarding the extensive ash plume. Remarkable footage shared on social media captures civilians fleeing from the ash cloud’s path.

“The ash column was observed to be gray with thick intensity, moving towards the north and northwest. As of this report, the eruption continues,” stated Mukdas Sofian, an officer at the Mount Semeru Observation Post.

Mount Semeru is currently at Alert Level II, and authorities have cautioned the public to steer clear of the southeastern sector, particularly within 8 kilometers of Besuk Kobokan near the summit.

‘Beyond that distance, the community should not carry out activities within 500m of the riverbank along Besuk Kobokan because of the potential for being hit by the expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to a distance of 13km from the peak,’ Sofian said. 

He also urged residents to avoid being within a 3km radius of the crater to avoid any incandescent rock ejections.

‘The public is also asked to be aware of the potential for hot clouds, lava flows, and lahars along rivers/valleys that originate at the peak of Mount Semeru Volcano, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, and Besuk Sat, as well as the potential for lahars in small rivers that are tributaries of Besuk Kobokan,’ Sofian said.   

An Indonesian volcano has erupted and spewed an enormous 54,000ft ash cloud, causing Australia to trigger a flight safety warning 

Mount Semeru, located on the border of Lumajang District and Malang District in East Java, erupted on Tuesday morning at 6.11am local time

Australia’s Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) issued a warning about the enormous volcanic ash plume, visible in astonishing footage posted by on social media

Mount Semeru is at Alert or Level II status

The dense ash column appeared white to gray and drifted southward

Residents have been told to avoid being within a 3km radius of the crater to avoid any incandescent rock ejections

The volcano is believed to have erupted three times with the first occurring at 4.10am Western Indonesian time, producing a thick and grey ash column.

The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22mm and a duration of 142 seconds.

The mountain then erupted again at 5.09 am Western Indonesian Time (WIB), with a maximum amplitude of 22mm and a duration of 150 seconds.

A third and final eruption was recorded at 6.05am. The ash column was observed to be white to gray, with a thick intensity toward the southeast and south.

‘The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a duration of 137 seconds,’ said Sofian.

Semeru – also known as ‘The Great Mountain’ – is the highest active volcano in Java at 3,676m (12,060ft).

It is located on the border of Lumajang District and Malang District in East Java and is one of Indonesia’s nearly 130 active volcanoes.

Indonesia straddles the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’, a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the earth’s crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanoes.

The East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has evacuated elderly residents from Pronojiwo District and Candipuro District, Lumajang. 

In a translated written statement the East Java BPBD said: ‘The Rapid Response Team (TRC) of the Lumajang Regency BPBD carried out patrols and helped evacuate the elderly to safer places.

‘The pyroclastic flow is still ongoing, with a maximum amplitude of 40mm. The pyroclastic flow reached a distance of 8.5km from the mountain peak. The wind direction is towards the north.’ 

Japan Meteorological Agency is investigating whether there is possibility of tsunami following the eruption.