Mount Kelud

Mount Kelud (Gunung Kelud) is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in Indonesia. Located in East Java, roughly 27 kilometers east of the city of Kediri, it is relatively small compared to neighbors like Semeru or Arjuno, standing at only 1,731 meters (5,679 feet). However, its modest height belies its destructive power.

Kelud is infamous for its violent, explosive eruptions that occur frequently (roughly every 15 to 30 years). For centuries, these eruptions were made deadlier by the presence of a massive crater lake. When the volcano erupted, it would eject this lake water, creating devastating lahars (hot mudflows) that decimated villages downstream. This deadly characteristic led to one of the most ambitious geo-engineering projects in colonial history: the drainage of the crater lake.

Geological Origins and Setting

Kelud is a stratovolcano formed by the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate. It features a summit crater complex that has changed dramatically over the last century due to both volcanic activity and human intervention.

The Crater Lake Problem

Historically, the crater contained a lake of approximately 40 million cubic meters of water. During eruptions, this water mixed with volcanic ash and debris to form “primary lahars.”

• 1919 Disaster: In one of Indonesia’s worst volcanic tragedies, a sudden eruption ejected the entire lake. The resulting hot mudflows killed an estimated 5,160 people and destroyed over 100 villages.

The Drainage Tunnels

Following the 1919 catastrophe, the Dutch colonial government decided to engineer a solution. They constructed a system of drainage tunnels (Ampera Tunnels) through the crater wall to lower the lake level.

• Success and Failure: The tunnels successfully reduced the lake volume to about 2.5 million cubic meters. However, the 1951 eruption deepened the crater floor, rendering the tunnels useless until they were deepened again. This ongoing battle between human engineering and geological force continues to this day.

Eruptive History

Kelud has a remarkably consistent eruption cycle, making it a focus of intense monitoring.

The 2014 Eruption

On February 13, 2014, Kelud erupted violently. The explosion was heard as far away as Yogyakarta (200 km away) and sent an ash plume 17 kilometers (56,000 feet) into the stratosphere.

• Impact: Ashfall covered a huge swathe of Java, closing seven airports and coating cities like Solo and Surabaya in grey dust.
• The “Missing” Dome: Prior to this eruption, a lava dome had emerged in 2007, displacing the lake. The 2014 explosion completely pulverized this dome, leaving the crater empty once again.

The 2007 “Slow” Eruption

In 2007, scientists expected an explosive eruption. Instead, a viscous lava dome slowly rose from the lake, turning the water to steam and creating a “volcano within a volcano.” This dome grew to over 120 meters high before being destroyed in 2014.

The 1586 Eruption

Historical records suggest this was the worst eruption in Kelud’s history, with a death toll exceeding 10,000 people due to lahars.

Cultural Significance: The Curse of Lembu Suro

Local Javanese legend attributes the volcano’s fury to a betrayed spirit named Lembu Suro.

The Myth

Long ago, the beautiful Princess Dewi Kilisuci of the Kediri Kingdom was wooed by two supernatural beings: Lembu Suro (a man with a bull’s head) and Mahesa Suro (a man with a buffalo’s head). Disgusted by their appearance but afraid of their power, she set them an impossible task: to dig two wells atop Mount Kelud overnight—one smelling of fish, the other of flowers.

Using their magic, they completed the task. The princess then tricked them into jumping into the wells to check the smell. Once they were inside, she ordered her soldiers to fill the wells with rocks, burying them alive.

• The Curse: Before he died, Lembu Suro swore revenge: “Yoh, wong Kediri mbesuk bakal pethuk piwalesku sing makaping-kaping. Kediri bakal dadi kali, Blitar dadi latar, lan Tulungagung dadi kedung.” (“Oh, people of Kediri, one day you will get my revenge manifold. Kediri will become a river, Blitar will become a flat land, and Tulungagung will become a lake.”)

Locals believe that Kelud’s eruptions are Lembu Suro unleashing his wrath. To appease him, the Larung Sesaji ceremony is held annually, where offerings of agricultural produce are cast into the crater.

The Pineapple Festival

Kelud is not just feared; it is celebrated.

• Festival Nanas: Every year, the villagers hold a “Pineapple Festival” to give thanks for the fertility of the soil. They build a giant mountain out of thousands of pineapples and parade it through the streets before distributing the fruit to the crowd in a chaotic, joyous frenzy.

The Sand Miners (Penambang Pasir)

The aftermath of an eruption brings “gray gold.”

• The Resource: The lahars deposit millions of tons of high-quality volcanic sand and stone in the riverbeds (Kali Bladak).
• The Economy: Thousands of local miners work in these rivers. It is dangerous work—flash floods are common—but the sand is vital for the construction boom in Surabaya and provides a crucial income for those whose farms were destroyed.

Engineering Marvel: The Tunnel System

The drainage tunnels are a hidden wonder.

• Construction: The original tunnels were dug by hand in the 1920s. It was a hellish task, working in high temperatures with toxic gases.
• Function: Today, visitors can sometimes walk near the tunnel exits. The water that drains out is warm and acidic, staining the rocks yellow with sulfur. It is a sombre reminder of the lengths humans will go to tame nature.

Satellite Monitoring: The New Eye

Since the 2014 eruption destroyed many ground sensors, space has become the new vantage point.

• InSAR: Scientists use Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) from satellites to measure minute ground deformation (inflation) of the volcano, allowing them to “see” pressure building up even when the mountain looks calm.

Religious Syncretism

Faiths merge on the mountain.

• The Statue: A large statue of Ganesha (Hindu elephant god) sits near the crater rim, a remnant of the pre-Islamic Majapahit era.
• Harmony: Today, Muslim farmers, Hindu worshippers, and Kejawen (Javanese mystic) followers all share the sacred space of the volcano. The Larung Sesaji ceremony is a beautiful example of this interfaith harmony, where prayers from different religions are chanted together amidst the sulfur fumes.

The Volcano Theater

Kelud has a literal theater.

• Bioscope: The Kelud Theater (Bioskop Kelud) near the visitor center shows documentaries about the 2014 eruption.
• Education: It serves as a vital educational tool for local schoolchildren, teaching them about plate tectonics and evacuation signals in an engaging way.

Chocolate Village (Kampung Coklat)

Blitar, south of Kelud, is cacao country.

• Volcanic Cacao: The volcanic soil is perfect for cacao trees.
• Agro-tourism: Kampung Coklat is a massive educational park where visitors can learn about chocolate making, from tree to bar. It is a major economic driver for the region, proving that the volcano brings sweetness as well as destruction.

Tourism and “Mystery Road”

When the alert level is low, Kelud is a popular tourist destination offering unique attractions.

The Crater

Visitors can hike or take a motorcycle taxi (ojek) to the crater rim. The view looks down into the steaming basin, where a small, new lake is beginning to form again after the 2014 eruption. The landscape is raw and otherworldly, contrasting with the lush green valleys below.

The “Mystery Road”

On the approach to the volcano, there is a famous stretch of road known as Jalan Misteri (Mystery Road). Here, cars and buses appear to roll uphill with their engines off.

• Explanation: This is a gravity hill optical illusion. The surrounding landscape creates a false horizon, making a slight downhill slope appear to be an uphill slope. Despite the scientific explanation, many visitors prefer to attribute it to the supernatural power of Lembu Suro.

Hot Springs

At the foot of the mountain, geothermal hot springs offer a place to relax. The sulfurous water is believed to have healing properties for skin diseases.

Flora and Fauna

The slopes of Kelud are incredibly fertile due to centuries of volcanic ash deposits.

Agriculture

The lower flanks are a patchwork of pineapple plantations, coffee estates, and clove trees. The Kelud Pineapple is a famous local variety known for its sweetness.

Biodiversity

Higher up, the vegetation transitions to tropical montane forest. However, the 2014 eruption stripped much of the upper slopes of trees. The recovery process is a fascinating case study for ecologists, as ferns and pioneer shrubs rapidly recolonize the grey ash fields.

Monitoring and Safety

Kelud is monitored by the CVGHM (Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation).

• Lahars: The primary threat remains lahars during the rainy season. A series of sediment retention dams (sabo dams) have been built in the river valleys to trap debris and protect the cities of Kediri and Blitar.
• Alert Levels: The status can change rapidly. Tourists are strictly forbidden from entering the crater area when the alert level is raised to “Waspada” (Caution) or “Siaga” (Alert).

Technical Facts

• Elevation: 1,731 m (5,679 ft)
• Location: 7.93°S 112.31°E
• Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
• Rock Type: Andesite
• Status: Active
• Notable Feature: Artificial drainage tunnels to lower crater lake volume