Semeru

Semeru, or Mount Semeru (Indonesian: Gunung Semeru), is an active volcano in East Java, Indonesia. It is located in a subduction zone, where the Indo-Australian plate subducts under the Eurasia plate.[2] It is the highest mountain on the island of Java. The name "Semeru" is derived from Meru, the central world mountain in Hinduism, or Sumeru, the abode of gods. This stratovolcano is also known as Mahameru, meaning "The Great Mountain" in Sanskrit.[3][4]

Semeru
Semeru in 1985.
Highest point
Elevation3,676 m (12,060 ft)
Prominence3,676 m (12,060 ft)
Ranked 45th
Isolation391 km (243 mi) 
ListingIsland high point 12th
Ultra
Ribu
Coordinates08°06′28″S 112°55′19″E
Geography
Semeru
Semeru
Semeru (Indonesia)
Geology
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Volcanic arc/beltRing of Fire/Sunda Arc
Last eruption4 December 2021 (Ongoing) [1]
Climbing
First ascentUnknown
Easiest routeHike

Mount Semeru is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Indonesia.

Geology

Semeru rises steeply above the coastal plains of eastern Java. Maars containing crater lakes have formed along a line through the summit of the volcano. It was formed south of the overlapping Ajek-ajek and Jambagan calderas.[4] The eruptive products are andesitic.[5] Semeru lies at the south end of the Tengger Volcanic Complex.

Eruptive history

Semeru's eruptive history is extensive. Since 1818, at least 55 eruptions have been recorded (11 of which resulted in fatalities) consisting of both lava flows and pyroclastic flows. All historical eruptions have had a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 2 or 3.[6] Semeru has been in a state of near-constant eruption from 1967 to the present.[7]

Semeru is regularly climbed by tourists, usually starting from the village of Ranu Pane to the north, but though non-technical, it can be dangerous. Soe Hok Gie, an Indonesian political activist of the 1960s, died in 1969 from inhaling poisonous gases while hiking on Mount Semeru.[8]

Semeru is named after Sumeru, the central world-mountain in Hinduism. As stated in legend, it was transplanted from India; the tale is recorded in the 15th-century East Javanese work Tantu Pagelaran. It was originally placed in the western part of the island, but that caused the island to tip, so it was moved eastward. On that journey, parts kept coming off the lower rim, forming the mountains Lawu, Wilis, Kelud, Kawi, Arjuno and Welirang. The damage thus caused to the foot of the mountain caused it to shake, and the top came off and created Penanggungan as well.[9] Indonesian Hindus also hold a belief that the mountain is the abode of Shiva in Java.

2021 eruption
Main article: 2021 Semeru eruption

On 4 December 2021, Semeru erupted for a second time in the year – the first having been on 16 January 2021.[10] Semeru erupted a third time on 6 December 2021.[11]

At least 57 people have been killed in the December eruption, while 22 people are missing.[12] 89 people in total suffered burns caused by the eruption.[13][14][15]

Floral problems

Non-native invasive plants

25 non-native plants have been found in Mount Semeru National Park. The non-native plants, which threaten the endemic local plants, were imported by Dutch botanist Van Steenis, in the colonial era. They include Foeniculum vulgare, Verbena brasiliensis, Chromolaena odorata, and Salvinia molesta.[16]

Vegetable plantations

Mud erosion from surrounding vegetable plantations is adding silt to Ranu Pani Lake, causing the lake to gradually shrink. Research has predicted that the lake will disappear by about 2025, unless the vegetable plantations on the hillsides are replaced with more ecologically sustainable perennials.[17]

See also

Citations
  1. "Semeru volcano". 19 February 2018.
  2. "Mount Semeru".
  3. "Indonesia: Death toll rises to 14 after eruption of Semeru volcano". TheGuardian.com. 5 December 2021.
  4. "Semeru: Summary". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  5. "Semeru Volcano".
  6. "Semeru: Eruptive History". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  7. "Volcano erupts in Indonesia". www.abc.net.au. 6 March 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  8. "Birth of Soe Hok Gie". Viva News. 17 December 2008.
  9. Soekmono, Dr R. (1973). Pengantar Sejarah Kebudayaan Indonesia 2. Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Penerbit Kanisius. p. 119. ISBN 979-413-290-X.
  10. "Indonesia's Semeru volcano erupts, spews huge ash cloud". San Francisco Chronicle. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  11. Kurniawan, Willy; Adriansyah, Tommy; Dec. 6, Reuters | Posted-; A.m, 2021 at 7:17. "Indonesia volcano erupts again as death toll rises to 22". www.ksl.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  12. Mochamad Andri, Masrur Jamaluddin and Rhea Mogul. "Volcano rescue workers dig through thick layers of hot ash in Indonesia after Mount Semeru erupts". CNN. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  13. Media, Kompas Cyber (5 December 2021). "Update Bencana Erupsi Gunung Semeru, 13 Korban Jiwa dan Evakuasi Terkendala Medan". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  14. Hasanudin Aco, ed. (4 December 2021). "Update Gunung Semeru Meletus: 1 Warga Meninggal, 3 Orang Masih Hilang, Puluhan Luka-luka" [Update on Mount Semeru Erupts: 1 Resident Dies, 3 People Still Missing, Dozens Injured] (in Indonesian). Tribune News. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  15. "At least 1 dead after Indonesia's Semeru volcano erupts, dozens injured". Channel News Asia. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  16. Eko Widianto (25 October 2014). "Foreign Plantations Invade Mt Semeru".
  17. David Priyasidharta (15 December 2014). "Ranu Pane Lake Estimated to Disappear in 10 Years".

General sources
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