2025 Eruption of Mount Semeru on Indonesia

[Astronuc]

Indonesia evacuates stranded climbers after Semeru volcano erupts​

https://www.reuters.com/business/en...mbers-after-semeru-volcano-erupts-2025-11-20/

https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/clyzy88l87no

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupts, blanketing villages with ash and prompting evacuations​

https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-volcano-mount-semeru-east-java-004472fe274828ceac7c4d48ddd7abc6

More than 170 people rescued off Mount Semeru after eruption as 1,000 locals evacuated​

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...acuated-after-mount-semeru-eruption/106035320

The Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) reported that activity continued at Semeru during 13-18 November with a larger eruption on 19 November. White-and-gray or gray ash plumes rose 400-800 m above the summit and drifted N, NE, and E during 13-14 and 16-17 November. Eruptive events were sometimes recorded during 14-17 November, but weather conditions prevented visual confirmation.

At 1413 on 19 November activity intensified and a series of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) traveled down the flanks. Although foggy conditions obscured views, incandescent avalanches of material were visible descending the Besuk Kobokan drainage on the S flank. PDCs continued descending the flanks through 1558. At 1600 the Alert level was raised to 3 (the second highest level on a scale of 1-4) and the public was warned to stay at least 5 km away from the summit in all directions, 17 km from the summit to the SE, and 500 m from the banks of the Kobokan drainage as far as 17 km from the summit. Seismicity activity indicated that the eruption continued at a high level with increasing numbers of signals indicating avalanches. At 1700 the Alert level was raised to 4 (the highest level) and the exclusion zone was expanded 8 km from the summit in all directions, 20 km from the summit to the SE, and 500 m from the banks of the Kobokan drainage.

https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=263300


Massive Ash Plume, Pyroclastic Flows Caught on Camera

 

[jedishrfu]

Wow, this reminded me of a similar story I read on TikTok:

In 1982, a British Airways 747 flying from Scotland to Perth diverted to Jakarta after suffering catastrophic engine failure, losing all 4 engines in seconds.

After dropping 13,000 feet, the pilots got them restarted but couldn't see through the cockpit window as it was sandblasted. They landed on instruments, using the side windows to see the runway.

They had flown through an unexpected cloud of volcanic ash at night without warning, choked their engines, and severely pitted their windshield.

Curiously, they also witnessed St. Elmo's fire just before the engine failure, skittering over the wings and engines.

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Here's the Wikipedia article which covers more of their flight and the immortal words of the British Captain:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_009