Jakarta: Mount Semeru in East Java, Indonesia, erupted nine times yesterday, sending ash plumes up to 1,000 metres above its summit.

Indonesia’s Antara news agency reported that authorities maintained the alert level and urged residents to stay away from high-risk areas.

The first eruption of the 3,676-metre volcano was recorded at 00:07, producing an ash column reaching 700 metres and drifting southwards in line with wind direction, according to monitoring data.

Liswanto, an official at the Semeru Volcano Monitoring Centre, said the strongest eruption occurred at 05:19, with an ash plume rising about 1,000 metres above the peak.

He added that eruption-related seismic activity continues to dominate the volcano’s activity.