The spectacular images of the eruption of Mount Semeru in Indonesia: thousands evacuated

The first hours after the strong eruption of Mount Semeru, on the Indonesian island of Java, have left breathtaking images. The huge columns of dark ash and the rumble of the volcano have once again turned this enclave into one of the most watched points on the planet. Authorities have confirmed the evacuation of thousands of people, including entire communities living around the volcano, one of the most active in the archipelago. The eruptive activity began to intensify in the middle of the week, forcing the Indonesian Center of Volcanology to raise the alert to level IV, the maximum on its emergency scale. This change activated a large operation that has already been deployed over the villages in the southeast area, the most affected by pyroclastic flows and ash clouds expelled almost continuously by Semeru for a whole day.