9 Photos of Indonesia’s Apocalyptic Volcanic Eruption

Ring of Fire

Villagers and rescuers inspect an area covered with volcanic ashes at Sumber Wuluh village, in Lumajang. Photo: Juni Kriswanto/AFP (Getty Images)

Indonesia sits on a region known ominously as the Ring of Fire, a belt around the Pacific Ocean where the Pacific tectonic plate comes into contact with other tectonic plates, which can cause volcanic activity. East Java, which is located on Indonesia’s most densely populated island, is a volcano hotspot. The province is home to more than 120 active volcanoes, with hundreds more inactive ones. The 12,060-foot (3,676-meter) tall Semeru is the largest mountain on the island.

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