JAKARTA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Mount Semeru in East Java province erupted five times on Wednesday, sending volcanic ash up to 1,000 meters above its summit, according to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG).

This photo taken on October 1, 2023 shows volcanic materials spewing from Mount Semeru, as seen from Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia. (Photo: Xinhua)

Liswanto, an officer at the Semeru Volcano Monitoring Post, said the first eruption occurred at 00:28 a.m. local time. The strongest eruption was recorded at 05:36 a.m., when an ash column rose 1,000 meters into the sky. The fifth eruption took place at 08:06 a.m. and was accompanied by notable seismic activity, he added.

Mount Semeru remains at Level III alert, the second-highest level in Indonesia's four-tier volcanic warning system.

The PVMBG has advised the public not to conduct activities within 13 kilometers of the summit and within a 5-kilometer radius of the crater due to potential hazards, including hot clouds and volcanic materials. Residents living near the volcano have been urged to remain vigilant and follow instructions issued by local authorities.

Standing 3,676 meters above sea level, Semeru is the tallest volcano on Java Island and among the most active in Indonesia. The archipelagic country lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has nearly 130 active volcanoes.