Kelud (Indonesia): Recorded Eruptions and Historical Activity

Kelud is a stratovolcano located in Indonesia at a latitude of -7.935 and a longitude of 112.314, rising to an elevation of 1,730 meters within a subduction zone and continental crust setting exceeding 25 kilometers in depth. According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, the volcano has a recorded history comprising 37 confirmed eruptions, with the earliest recorded activity dating back to 230 BCE (with an uncalibrated radiocarbon evidence method and a start year uncertainty of 300 years) and the latest confirmed eruption occurring from February 13 to February 15, 2014.

Historical Eruption Chronology and Distribution

The confirmed eruption record spans multiple centuries, with varying frequencies documented across different time periods. Observations range from early isotopic dating methods in antiquity to reported historical accounts in later centuries. The largest recorded Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) in the official record for Kelud is 5.0, which occurred during the 1586 eruption.

The distribution of the 37 confirmed eruptions across centuries according to the official record is as follows:

• 3rd century BCE: 1 eruption
• 10th century CE: 1 eruption
• 14th century CE: 5 eruptions
• 15th century CE: 5 eruptions
• 16th century CE: 2 eruptions (including the VEI 5.0 event in 1586)
• 17th century CE: 1 eruption
• 18th century CE: 5 eruptions
• 19th century CE: 7 eruptions
• 20th century CE: 8 eruptions
• 21st century CE: 2 eruptions

Recent Activity

The most recent activity in the official record took place at the summit crater lake. This confirmed eruption began on February 13, 2014, reached a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 4.0, and concluded on February 15, 2014, based on reported observations.