Overview

• The volcano erupted for the second day, launching an 18 km-high ash column accompanied by incandescent lava, volcanic lightning and pyroclastic flows that traveled up to 5 km down its slopes.
• Authorities escalated the alert to level 4, the highest, and enforced a 7 km exclusion zone around the crater to protect local communities.
• No casualties or structural damage have been reported but officials warn of lahar threats during heavy rains as ash and debris accumulate on the mountain’s flanks.
• This eruption continues an intensifying cycle that began in late 2023, with ash columns rising from 10 km on August 1 to the latest 18 km blast.
• Indonesian volcanologists are deploying seismic sensors, drones and observation posts to monitor ongoing activity and assess risks of further explosive eruptions and lahars.