Indonesia’s Mount Kelud Erupts

A major eruption occurred at Indonesia’s Kelud volcano on February 13, 2014. The eruption sent a large plume of ash drifting west across Java and over the Indian Ocean. According to an advisory issued by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, ash had reached 13 kilometers (45,000 feet) in altitude, prompting the closure of several airports. Three people were killed, and Indonesian authorities have evacuated more than 75,000 people from their homes.

• References

• European Space Agency (2014, February 14) Kelut Volcano Grounds Air Travel. Accessed February 14, 2014.
• Klemetti, E., via Wired (2014, February 14) Significant Eruption Started at Indonesia’s Kelut. Accessed February 14, 2014.
• Jakarta Globe (2014, February 14) Death Toll Rises as Tens of Thousands Flee Mount Kelud Eruption. Accessed February 14, 2014.
• NPR (2014, February 14) Massive Volcanic Eruption In Indonesia Blankets Region In Ash. Accessed February 14, 2014.
• Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program (2014, February 14) Kelut. Accessed February 14, 2014.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen, using data from the Land Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE). Caption by Adam Voiland.

Instrument: 

Aqua - MODIS - NASA