A volcano erupted in western Indonesia on Sunday, sending a column of ash three kilometers into the sky, forcing authorities to rescue dozens of hikers.
Hendra Gunawan, head of the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazards, said that ash from Mount Marapi, which is still erupting, was detected at an altitude of up to 3,000 meters above its summit.
The volcanic eruption, which occurred on the island of Sumatra, began at 2:54 pm local time, and has not yet caused any injuries or damage.
We can see this column of very dense dark gray ash, leaning towards the east
Mr. Gunawan noted this in a press release People living around the volcano or tourists are not allowed to enter within a three-kilometre radius of the crater
.
However, a total of 70 people were signed into the area on Saturday and Sunday morning, and 42 of them remained without a place at the end of the day.
Our teams are evacuating everyone. We have found and evacuated 28 people and are continuing to search for others. We hope they are all safe.
An unknown number of missing people
However, some hikers do not report entering or leaving the area. So the number of people still there is uncertain.
Mount Marapi in Indonesia is one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
Photo: AFP/Devi Rahman
Dhafira Zahraim Vibrina, a 19-year-old student, was one of the hikers still descending the mountain on Sunday. Her mother, Rani Radlani, posted a video online of her daughter covered in ashes and crying for help.
She said she had no more strength. She has been hiking since Friday
His mother told AFP. She’s back down with her friends.
The West Sumatra Natural Resources Management Agency said rescue teams were deployed to help the hikers reach safety.
Agency teams are carrying out evacuations. We hope that there will be no deaths and that everyone will be safe
said Diane Indriati.
Residents in surrounding villages were given masks and reminded to stay inside their homes, Adi Setiawan, head of the local disaster agency, said in a statement.
The smoke column resulting from the volcanic eruption reached a height of three kilometers.
Photograph: Getty Images/Adi Prima/AFP
Marapi is 2891 meters high and its name means it Fire Mountain
It is the most active volcano in Sumatra. According to authorities, it is currently at alert level three on a scale of four.
The gray rain has now reached Bukittinggi town
Ahmed Refendi, director of the Mount Marabi observation station, the third city in Sumatra with a population of more than 100,000 people, announced that he advises city residents who must go out to wear clothes. Hats, glasses and masks
.
Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates leads to strong volcanic and seismic activity. There are approximately 130 active volcanoes in this country.
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