9 Photos of Indonesia’s Apocalyptic Volcanic Eruption

‘Like It Was Going to Destroy the Earth’

Ash covers houses and trees on the slopes of Mount Semeru in Lumajang. Photo: Aman Rochman/AFP (Getty Images)

The scenes in East Java are almost apocalyptic, with video footage showing ash and debris stretching for miles over abandoned villages. Local TV footage showed people running from ash clouds.

“At first, I thought it was a bomb explosion,” Hosniya, a 31-year-old student in the Sumberwuluh region, told Reuters. “Suddenly it was all dark, like it was going to destroy the earth.” Hosniya and her family managed to evacuate with just their official papers.

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