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The Kelud (, sometimes spelled as Klut, Cloot, Kloet, Kloete, Keloed or Kelut) is a mountain stratovolcano located in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia. Like many Indonesian volcanoes and others on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Kelud is known for large explosive eruptions throughout its history. More than 30 eruptions have occurred since 1000 AD.Thouret, et al., "Origin, Characteristics, and Behavior of Lahars Following the 1990 Eruption of Kelud Volcano, Eastern Java (Indonesia)," Bulletin of Volcanology, June 1998. In 2007, an effusive explosion filled the crater with a lava dome. It last erupted on 13 February 2014, destroying the lava dome and ejecting boulders, stones and ashes up to West Java about from Mount Kelud. The crater filled with water during the rainy season.
Kelud erupted at about 3 p.m. local time on 3 November. The eruption was confirmed by the Indonesian government's Centre for Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation."Mt. Kelud Starts to Erupt," Jakarta Post, November 3, 2007.Retnowati, "Indonesia's Volcano Mt. Kelud Erupts - Official," Reuters, November 3, 2007. Although no visual confirmation was possible when the eruption began because the volcano's peak was shrouded by clouds, Indonesian government said volcanic tremor readings showed an eruption was under way. More than 350,000 people lived within of the volcano. Surabaya, Indonesia's third-largest urban area and home to one of the country's busiest airports, is to the northwest. Although residents were ordered to leave their homes in mid-October, many either did not evacuate or returned in the interim. Many villagers were reported fleeing the area in panic after reports of the eruption. But by early evening, Indonesian officials said the eruption that day had not been very large at all. seismometer near the volcano's crater was still operating, and scientists said that indicated a small eruption at best.Indra Harsaputra, "Scientist: Indonesian Volcano's Erupting," Associated Press, November 3, 2007.
However, on the early morning of 4 November, Mount Kelud spewed ash into the air, indicating a full eruption was taking place."Indonesian Volcano Kelud Spews Ash - Official," Reuters, November 4, 2007. "The eruption isn't over," Saut Simatupang, head of Indonesian Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Agency, said. Seismologists monitoring the crater said surface temperatures in Mount Kelud's crater lake rose on 4 November to from on 3 November. At a depth of , the temperature jumped to on 4 November from on 3 November.Karima Anjani, "Indonesian Volcano Kelud Spews Ash - Official," Bloomberg Business News, November 4, 2007. The heat wave created a cloud of steam and smoke high.Irwan Firdaus, "Thousands Defy Indonesia Volcano Warning," Associated Press, November 4, 2007.
On 5 November, new columns of smoke and steam erupted from the crater. Boiling water cascaded down the flanks of the mountain from the crater lake, and seismological equipment near the crater ceased working. Indonesian authorities said about 25,000 people remained in the danger zone, ignoring evacuation orders.Irwan Firdaus, "Crater Temperature at Indonesia Volcano Up," Associated Press, November 5, 2007.
The following day, a lava dome rose through the centre of the crater lake atop the mountain. Closed-circuit television cameras showed the long oblong island had pushed about above the surface of the lake. The volcano continued to emit smoke, with plumes reaching into the atmosphere."'Island' Emerges in Indonesian Volcano Crater," Agence France-Presse, November 6, 2007.
But after 48 hours of smoke and ash but no lava, Indonesian officials declared on 8 November that no eruption was immediate. Officials said the volcano was experiencing a "slow eruption" and was unlikely to explode as it had done many times in the past century."Indonesia's Mount Kelut Spews Ash and Lava," Agence France-Presse, November 12, 2007.
By 12 November, Mount Kelud began spewing lava into its crater lake. The lava dome, which had expanded to long and high, cracked open and lava began oozing into the surrounding water. Smoke rose more than into the air, and ash dusted several villages around the volcano. On 14 November, smoke billowed into the air, and light ash covered villages away."Volcano Spews Lava, Red-Hot Rocks," The Independent, November 14, 2007. The hot lava dome occupied the lake crater and, consequently, the lake disappeared.
Ashfall from the eruption caused major disruption across Java. Seven airports, in Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Surabaya, Malang, Semarang, Cilacap and Bandung, were closed. Financial losses from the airport closures were valued in the billions of rupiah (millions of US dollars), including an estimated 2 billion rupiah (US$200,000) at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya. Significant damage was caused to a variety of manufacturing and agricultural industries. The ashfall meant companies such as Unilever had difficulty distributing their products throughout affected areas. Apple orchards in Batu, East Java, posted losses of up to Rp 17.8 billion, while the dairy industry in the province posted high losses.
On 14 February 2014, major tourist attractions in Yogyakarta and Central Java, including Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko, were closed to visitors, after being severely affected by the volcanic ashfall from the eruption of Kelud, located around 200 kilometers east from Yogyakarta. Workers covered the iconic and statues of Borobudur temple to protect the structure from volcanic ash. Owing to the ash, many tourists cancelled their reservations at hotels throughout Central Java. Tempo reported that hotels in Yogyakarta had posted losses of Rp 22 billion (US$2.2 million) as more than 80 percent of reservations were canceled owing to the ash.
Flow-up following the eruptions had begun around 1000A.D. The Indonesian military used to clear roads, and were later involved in reconstruction efforts in the areas surrounding Kelud. Citizens did likewise, although with less powerful equipment. Ash from Yogyakarta was disposed in the depressions of fields in four villages located from Yogyakarta. Political parties vying for the April elections helped distribute food to victims of the eruptions. By 20 February most businesses and attractions which had closed owing to the ashfall had reopened, although cleaning operations were still ongoing.
The volcano's alert status was downgraded on 21 February, and the exclusion zone reduced from . By early March most of the 12,304 buildings destroyed or damaged during the eruptions had been repaired, at an estimated cost of Rp 55 billion (US$5.5 million).
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