At least 2,000 people have been evacuated in East Java, Indonesia, after Mount Semeru erupted, sending volcanic ash 15km into the atmosphere.
People have been relocated to 11 shelters on the island, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency said, while search and rescue efforts were continuing on the island, about 640km east of the capital Jakarta.
One of the worst recorded eruptions of Semeru — the highest mountain on Java — was last year, killing 50 people and damaging approximately 3,000 homes and more than 20 schools.
The volcano has erupted about 55 times since the early 19th century, and while most of the eruptions have caused evacuations 11 recorded eruptions have led to deaths.
“Most roads have been closed since this morning and now it is raining volcanic ash and it has covered the view of the mountain,” community volunteer Bayu Deny Alfianto told Reuters from near the volcano.
Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, the PVMBG, raised the level of volcanic activity to its highest level and warned residents not to approach to within 8km of Semeru's eruption centre.
Hot ash clouds have drifted nearly 20km from the centre of the eruption, it said.
PVMBG chief Hendra Gunawan said a bigger volume of magma could have built up compared with previous eruptions of the volcano, in 2021 and 2020, which could mean greater danger for a larger area.
“Semeru's hot clouds could reach further and at a distance where there are many residences,” he said.
In a video sent to Reuters by police in the area, villagers were seen moving away from the slopes of the volcano, some with belongings stacked on motorbikes. A damaged bridge was covered in volcanic ash.
There are 142 volcanoes in Indonesia which has the world's largest number of people living close to a volcano, with 8.6 million people within 10km of one.
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
