Stanley Widianto and Nilufar Rizki

JAKARTA (Reuters – The Semeru volcano in Java, Indonesia, erupted last Saturday. Officials stated that one person was killed and at least 35 were injured. Others trapped inside buildings, as the eruption produced huge amounts of smoke and ash.

Emergency officials shared videos that showed people running while towering clouds of smoke and ash covered nearby villages in East Java Province.

Indah Masdar (deputy chief of Lumajang District), stated that one person died from burns and 41 others had sustained injuries.

Later, the disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), stated that 35 patients are being cared for at local hospitals.

Indah requested helicopters for rescue operations of people trapped in buildings.

“We are in huge distress”, she stated, adding that there were approximately 10 trapped people.

It’s heartbreaking, and their loved ones are crying.”

Thoriqul Haq (district head for Lumajang) stated that a few sand miners had been trapped close to mines but didn’t give any further information.

Haq stated to Reuters, that the bridge and road connecting Lumajang with Malang were destroyed.

He said, “This has been an extremely pressing, fast condition since it was erupted.” Haq stated that evacuations had begun, without giving details.

Later, he told MetroTV news that the bridge was a severed link and meant that one district in nearby had no medical care.

The country’s disaster prevention agency (BNPB), stated that authorities had set up evacuation tents. Suharyanto of the BNPB stated that evacuations were hampered because thick smoke was present.

AirNav Indonesia which manages Indonesia’s airspace said that the eruption didn’t have a “significant effect” on flight operations.

Semeru (the highest volcano in Java) is one of Indonesia’s almost 130 active volcanoes. There were no deaths when it erupted on January.