🌋VolcanoAtlas

Kelud

Indonesia's Deadliest Crater-Lake Volcano

Elevation

1,730 m

Last Eruption

2014

Type

Stratovolcano

Country

Indonesia

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskHigh
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity12 years agoRecentRecently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Watch
Dormant but monitored. Capable of renewed activity.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All Indonesia Volcanoes
Explore by country
Stratovolcano Volcanoes
By volcano type
East Java
Regional volcanoes

Other Volcanoes in Indonesia

Interesting Facts

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Kelud has killed more than 15,000 people across its recorded eruption history, making it one of the deadliest volcanoes in Indonesia.

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The 1919 eruption expelled approximately 40 million cubic meters of crater lake water as scalding lahars, killing 5,110 people.

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Dutch colonial engineers bored drainage tunnels through the crater wall after 1919, lowering the lake by over 50 m — one of the world's first volcanic engineering projects.

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The 2014 eruption sent a Plinian ash column to approximately 17 km (56,000 ft) altitude, closing 7 airports across Java.

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The name Kelud (Kelut) derives from the Javanese word meaning 'swept,' referring to the lahars that sweep valleys clean during eruptions.

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Over 5 million people live within 30 km of the summit, making it one of the most densely surrounded active volcanoes in the world.

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The 1951 eruption deepened the crater by 70 m in a single event, fundamentally altering the drainage tunnel geometry.

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Kelud's eruptions are characteristically short and violent — the 2014 VEI 4 eruption lasted only a few hours from onset to cessation.

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A lava dome that grew in the crater during a 2007 eruption displaced much of the lake, changing the eruption hazard from lahar-dominated to ash-dominated for the 2014 event.

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The volcano has produced at least 6 eruptions rated VEI 4 or higher since 1641, with a single VEI 5 in 1586.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kelud volcano still active?
Yes, Kelud is classified as an active volcano. Its most recent eruption occurred on February 13, 2014, when a powerful VEI 4 explosive event sent ash across much of Java and closed seven airports. The volcano has produced more than 30 eruptions since 1000 CE and averages a major eruption every 15–30 years. PVMBG monitors Kelud continuously, tracking crater lake temperature and seismicity as key precursory indicators. Volcanologists consider future eruptions certain.
How many people has Kelud killed?
Kelud has killed more than 15,000 people across its recorded eruption history, making it one of Indonesia's deadliest volcanoes. The worst single event was the 1919 eruption, which killed 5,110 people through lahars generated by the explosive ejection of the crater lake. The 1586 VEI 5 eruption may have killed as many as 10,000. Other deadly events include 1966 (200+ deaths) and 1951 (7 deaths). The declining death toll partly reflects engineering interventions and improved early warning systems.
What makes Kelud's eruptions so deadly?
Kelud's lethality stems from the interaction between its explosive eruptions and the summit crater lake. When magma rises into the lake, it triggers phreatomagmatic explosions that instantaneously convert millions of cubic meters of water into superheated steam and scalding mudflows (lahars). These lahars race down river valleys at high speed, reaching populated lowlands kilometers away within minutes. The dense population base — over 5 million within 30 km — compounds the risk enormously.
What happened in Kelud's 2014 eruption?
On February 13, 2014, Kelud erupted in a VEI 4 explosive paroxysm that lasted only a few hours. A Plinian column rose to approximately 17 km (56,000 ft), spreading ash across Java from Surabaya to Yogyakarta. Seven international airports were closed, over 100,000 people were evacuated, and at least 7 people were killed. Unlike previous eruptions, lahars were not the primary hazard because a lava dome had displaced much of the crater lake. The eruption completely destroyed that dome.
How tall is Kelud volcano?
Kelud stands at 1,730 m (5,676 ft) above sea level. This is relatively modest compared to other major Javanese volcanoes: Semeru reaches 3,657 m and Merapi 2,910 m. Kelud's relatively low profile belies its explosive power — its eruptions are driven by the violent interaction of magma with the crater lake rather than by the height of the volcanic edifice.
What are the drainage tunnels at Kelud?
Following the 1919 eruption that killed 5,110 people, Dutch colonial engineers constructed drainage tunnels through the crater wall to permanently lower the crater lake level by over 50 m, reducing the volume of water available for lahar generation. This was one of the world's first large-scale volcanic engineering projects. Additional deeper tunnels were built after subsequent eruptions in 1951 and 1966. While the tunnels have reduced casualties, they cannot eliminate the hazard entirely.
When will Kelud erupt next?
No one can predict the exact timing of Kelud's next eruption, but the volcano's average recurrence interval of 15–30 years between major eruptions suggests another event is possible within the coming decades. The crater lake is gradually refilling since the 2014 eruption, slowly restoring the conditions for the lahar-generating eruption style that has made the volcano so deadly. PVMBG monitors crater lake temperature, seismicity, and ground deformation for signs of magmatic recharge.