JAKARTA, Indonesia

Authorities in Indonesia have appealed to the residents on the slope of an active volcano in East Java to be on alert as the Semeru volcano has erupted on Friday morning.

The highest volcano in Java, which erupted at 06.00 local time (2300GMT Thursday), spewed plumes of ashes 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) high, the national geological agency said.

“Lava avalanche activities were observed towards Besuk Bang, Besuk Kobokan and Besuk Kembar over a sliding distance of up to 2,000 meters from the center of the avalanche,” said Pak Kasbani, the head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), in a written statement.

The authorities have issued a level III warning to monitor the status.

The PVMBG also warned the residents and visitors to stay one kilometer away from the active crater.

“We advise residents who live at the vicinity of the mountain to remain vigilant, especially with the lava flow,” Kasbani added.