Over dozen people dead following eruption of Semeru volcano in Indonesia

Semeru, located in Indonesia's East Java province, erupted on Saturday, emitting large amounts of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, wrecking homes and damaging a local strategic bridge.

Jakarta: The death toll from the eruption of Indonesia’s Semeru volcano has gone up to 13, the country’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said on Sunday.

Semeru, located in Indonesia’s East Java province, erupted on Saturday, emitting large amounts of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, wrecking homes and damaging a local strategic bridge. Initial local media reports said that at least one person died and 41 suffered burns.

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BNPB said in a Sunday statement citing the latest information from the agency’s head, Major General Suharyanto, that “a total of 13 people were reported to have died” as a result of the eruption and nearly 100 others were injured.

BNPB confirmed that the 41 people who were first reported to have suffered burn injuries were treated at a local health center. Another 57 injured, including two pregnant women, were also treated at several different health facilities.

More than 900 people have been evacuated, according to BNPB.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported on two earthquakes off the coast of Indonesia following the Semeru eruption: a 6-magnitude earthquake occurred north of Tobelo, a town located on Indonesia’s eastern island of Halmahera, at 23:47 GMT on Saturday; another earthquake of magnitude 5.4 struck off the coast of Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia’s province of Papua, at 01:10 GMT on Sunday.

There are over 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire and is thus prone to seismic impact.