Kelud Volcano

Updated: Nov 9, 2025 15:34 GMT - refresh

Stratovolcano

East Java, Indonesia, -7.93°S / 112.31°E

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Summit height: 1731 m / 5,679 ft

Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Last update: 10 Jan 2025 (currently quiet)

The new lava dome growing inside the lake of Kelut's crater in Nov 2007

Kelud volcano (also spelled Kelut) is one of East Java's most active volcanoes. The volcano has a spectacular large crater that contains a lake, which was a popular weekend destination but also the origin of devastating mud flows (lahars). In Oct-Nov 2007, a new lava dome grew within the lake to form an island, replacing most of the water.
Kelut is notorious among Indonesia's volcanoes for its violent, and often deadly explosive eruptions. One of the worst volcanic disasters occurred during the 1919 eruption, when the (then very large) crater lake drained and formed lahars that killed at least 5160 people. An eruption in 1586 is believed to have caused even more than 10,000 fatalities.

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Typical eruption style: Explosive. Lava domes, pyroclastic flows. Presence of extensive crater lake at low elevation, generating destructive lahars.
Kelud volcano eruptions: 1500(?), 1548, 1586 ((sub-)Plinian eruption?), 1641 (sub-Plininan eruption?), 1716, 1752, 1756(?), 1771, 1776, 1785, 1811, 1825, 1826, 1835, 1848, 1849(?), 1864, 1901, 1919, 1920, 1951, 1966, 1967, 1990, Oct-Nov 2007, 13 Feb 2014

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Background

The relatively inconspicuous, 1731-m-high Kelud stratovolcano contains a summit crater lake that has been the source of some of Indonesia's most deadly eruptions.
A cluster of summit lava domes cut by numerous craters has given the summit a very irregular profile. Satellitic cones and lava domes are also located low on the eastern, western, and SSW flanks. Eruptive activity has in general migrated in a clockwise direction around the summit vent complex. More than 30 eruptions have been recorded from Gunung Kelud since 1000 AD. The ejection of water from the crater lake during Kelud's typically short, but violent eruptions has created pyroclastic flows and lahars that have caused widespread fatalities and destruction.
After more than 5000 persons were killed during an eruption in 1919, an ambitious engineering project sought to drain the crater lake. This initial effort lowered the lake by more than 50 m, but the 1951 eruption deepened the crater by 70 m, leaving 50 million cubic meters of water after repair of the damaged drainage tunnels.
After more than 200 deaths in the 1966 eruption, a new deeper tunnel was constructed, and the lake's volume before the 1990 eruption was only about 1 million cubic meters.

Kelud Volcano Photos

The active lava dome of Kelut volcano in East Java (Nov 2007) (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

The growing lava dome of Kelut volcano (East Java, Indonesia) in Nov 2007 (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Kelud volcano, East Java, Indonesia (Photo: Jiri VonDrak)

Glowing rock falls from the active lava dome of Kelut volcano (Nov 2007). (c)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Kelud volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Kelud has had at least 37 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 36 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
Additionally, there are 4 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Kelud volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Kelud volcano since around 1800. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Kelud can be found on the news page of Kelud volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths	Damage
2014 Feb 13 - Feb 15	Summit crater lake Historical obs./docs.	4
2014 Feb 13 (eruption 2014 Feb 13 - Feb 15)	Historical obs./docs.	0	7	heavy	Info
2014 Feb 13: 12 February-18 February 2014. PVMBG reported that at 2115 on 13 February the Alert Level for Kelut was raised to 4 (on a scale of 1-4). Visitors and residents were prohibited from approaching the crater within a 10-km radius. BNPB reported that a major eruption occurred less than two hours later at 2250, followed by another large explosion at 2330. Ash plumes rose to an altitude of 17 km (55,800 ft) a.s.l. and caused ashfall in areas NE, NW, and W, as far as Pacitan (133 km WSW), Kulon Progo (236 km W), Temanggung (240 km WNW), and Banyuwangi (228 km E). Forty flights from the Juanda (81 km NE), Adi Sucipto Yogya (208 km W), and Adi Sumarmo Solo (175 km WNW) airports were cancelled. News articles reported that flights in and out of seven airports were cancelled or rerouted. Ashfall and tephra 5-8 cm in diameter caused structures to collapse, including schools, homes, and businesses. On 14 February BNPB reported that the eruption had killed four people: one died due to a collapsing wall, one from ash inhalation, and two from "shortness of breath". All four victims lived within 7 km of Kelut in the regency of Malang, an area that received ashfall up to 20 cm thick. By 0600 the number of displaced people reached 100,248, but the report also noted that activity had declined. A report issued later that day noted that 76,388 people remained evacuated. Seismicity continued to decline and was at moderate levels during 15-17 February. An 18 February report noted that a total of seven people in Malang had died, and that the ashfall had affected cattle health and dairy production, farms, and the water supply. Damage to infrastructure in Malang included 3,782 houses, 20 government buildings, 251 schools, nine hospitals, and 36 churches. (reference #2432) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
2007 Oct 16 ±15 d. - 2008 Apr 16 ±15 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2
1998 Jul (eruptive episode 1998 Jul)	Historical obs./docs.	0	10		Info
1998 Jul: No eruption. (reference #9675) Cited references #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1990 Nov 25 (eruption 1990 Feb 10 - Mar 13 ±45 d.)	Historical obs./docs.	0	4		Info
1990 Nov 25: Lahars that overflowed a river channel in the Blitar region (~30 km S of the summit) killed 4 people. No eruption. (reference #9675) Cited references #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1990 Feb 10 - Mar 13 ±45 d.	Historical obs./docs.	4
1990 Feb 10 (eruption 1990 Feb 10 - Mar 13 ±45 d.)	Historical obs./docs.	4	32		Info
1990 Feb 10: 30 deaths on 10 Feb with most of the damage and casualties attributed to heavy tephra falls causing house roofs to collapse. By 20 Feb official death toll had risen to 32. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1967 Dec 11	Crater floor at foot of Kelut Peak Historical obs./docs.	1
1967 Feb 18	Historical obs./docs.	1
1966 Apr 26 - Apr 27	Historical obs./docs.	4
1966 Apr 26 (eruption 1966 Apr 26 - Apr 27)	Historical obs./docs.	4	215		Info
1966 Apr 26: Main lahar entered R Badak attaining maximum height of 25 m and maximim distance of 31 km in SW direction. Initial reports listed 208 killed, 78 missing, 86 wounded; later official reports list 211 primary lahar, 3 secondary lahar, and 1 pyroclastic flow fatality. Other sources give death tolls ranging from 210 to 288. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1951 Aug 31	Historical obs./docs.	4
1951 Aug 31	Historical obs./docs.	3	7		Info
Volcano observer and 2 assistants killed at the crater observatory along with 4 babmoo cutters within the devasted zone. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1920 Dec 6 - Dec 12	Historical obs./docs.	2
1919 May 19 - May 20	Historical obs./docs.	4
1919 May 19 (eruption 1919 May 19 - May 20)	Historical obs./docs.	4	5,110	catastrophic	Info
1919 May 19: 5,110 killed, 9,000 houses destroyed, 104 villages destroyed. Pyroclastic flows were produced but inference is that deaths resulted from lahars. Volcano Letter (VL) and some other sources give death total as 5,500. Kusumadinata-79 gives 0519-20 date. (reference #9675) Cited references #1651 Kusumadinata K (1979): Data Dasar Gunungapi Indonesia. Bandung: Volc Surv Indonesia, 820 p (in Indonesian) #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1901 May 22 - May 23	Historical obs./docs.	3
1901 May 22 (eruption 1901 May 22 - May 23)	Historical obs./docs.	3	50-100 (*)		Info
1901 May 22: Many deaths. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1875 Jan 29	Discredited Eruption
1875 Jan 29	Historical obs./docs.	0	1-50 (*)	moderate	Info
No eruption. Failure of W crater wall freed lakewater producing lahar that killed an unknown number and destroyed 30 villages. Kusumadinata-79 give this as 30 wounded. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #1651 Kusumadinata K (1979): Data Dasar Gunungapi Indonesia. Bandung: Volc Surv Indonesia, 820 p (in Indonesian) Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1864 Jan 4 ?	Historical obs./docs.	2
1864 Jan 3 (eruption 1864 Jan 4 ?)	Historical obs./docs.	2	54		Info
1864 Jan 3: Death toll from Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlendisch-Indie. Kusumadinata-79 gives many killed, hundreds of houses destroyed, many cattle killed (& 0103 date). Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #1651 Kusumadinata K (1979): Data Dasar Gunungapi Indonesia. Bandung: Volc Surv Indonesia, 820 p (in Indonesian) Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1851 Jan 24	Historical obs./docs.	2
?? 1849	Uncertain Eruption	?
1848 May 16 - May 17	Historical obs./docs.	3
1848 May 16	Historical obs./docs.	2	21	very heavy	Info
21 killed, 11 villages, and 800 houses destroyed. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1835	Historical obs./docs.	2
1826 Oct 11 - Oct 25	Historical obs./docs.	4?
1826 Oct 11 (eruption 1826 Oct 11 - Oct 25)	Historical obs./docs.	3	1-50 (*)	heavy	Info
1826 Oct 11: Unknown number killed, 65 villages destroyed. kusumadinata-79 gives this as 65 wounded. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #1651 Kusumadinata K (1979): Data Dasar Gunungapi Indonesia. Bandung: Volc Surv Indonesia, 820 p (in Indonesian) Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1825	Historical obs./docs.	2
1811 Jun 5	Historical obs./docs.	2

(*) Estimated numbers

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Eruptions of Kelud volcano

13 Feb 2014 explosive eruption
A violent explosion occurred on the evening of 13 Feb 2014, destroying the lava dome.
An ash column rose to 10-15 km altitude and formed a plume of several 100 km length and width that drifted over the Indian Ocean. Heavy ash fall occurred in distances of up to 200 km, and several airports on Java needed to shut down temporarily.
Kelut volcano eruption update

2007 eruption
The 2007 eruption was almost purely effusive and built a new lava dome, replacing the previous lake.

Kelud Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Kelud volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Kelud occurred in 2014.

+How often does Kelud volcano erupt?

Since 1000 AD, Kelud volcano has had at least 36 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 28.5 years.

+How active is Kelud volcano at present?

Kelud volcano is infrequently active: Since 1900, it has had 10 eruptions, and been active during 10 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Kelud has been in eruption one in 12.6 years on average. The last eruption was in 2014 and ended 12 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Kelud volcano?

The largest eruption of Kelud volcano in historic times occurred in 1586 AD. It ranks as a plinian eruption with a magnitude 5 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale. Eruption of this size are often catastrophic on a regional scale.

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See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

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Kelud Volcano Tours

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Kelud Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).