The eruption of Mount Semmelru in Indonesia has killed 13 people and 7 people are missing

Jakarta, December 5 (China News Service) -- Indonesia's National Disaster Relief Agency reported on the morning of the 5th that as of the morning of the same day, the eruption of Mount Semeru in the country's East Java province had caused 13 deaths and 7 people missing.

Indonesian media quoted a briefing by Muhari, spokesman for the country's Disaster Resistance Agency, as saying on the same day that in addition to the number of deaths and disappearances, 57 villagers were hospitalized for burns, of which 16 were seriously injured.

At about 15:00 local time on the 4th, The Semeru Volcano in East Java erupted violently in heavy rain, forming a volcanic ash rain that covered several nearby villages, and the lava spewed from the volcano flowed down the hillside into the nearby river.

According to officials in Lumajang County, where the volcano is located, thick layers of ash covered several villages as if they were night. The local government urgently evacuated the affected villagers, but the widespread power outage caused by the volcanic eruption affected the evacuation and rescue process.

The official said a thick stream of mud formed by the eruption of debris, lava and rain, destroyed a bridge connecting the Luma River to a traffic artery near the city of Malang.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the report on the evening of the 4th and asked the country's Disaster Relief Agency to carry out disaster relief as soon as possible. Suharyanto, the director of the department, said that after the eruption, the local disaster relief department had activated the emergency response mechanism and set up three resettlement sites for victims in a safe area near the volcano; the department delivered blankets, ready-to-eat food, tarpaulins, emergency tents, mattresses and other relief materials to the disaster areas overnight.

Irawati, a spokesman for Indonesia's Ministry of Transport, informed on the same day that the country's flight operations are still proceeding as planned, and the traffic management department is closely monitoring the spread of volcanic ash, and has asked all airlines to avoid routes near the volcano. (End)

Source: China News Network