11 climbers killed, missing found after Indonesia's Mount Marapi erupts
Eleven climbers have been found dead and more than a dozen are missing after a volcanic eruption on Indonesia's Mount Marapi.
The disaster occurred on Sunday when the 2,891m (2,891m) volcano on the island of Sumatra spewed a plume of ash up to 3,000m (3,000m).
Rescue operations began immediately, with teams working tirelessly throughout the night to locate and assist the stranded hikers on the mountain.
The eruption spewed out large amounts of volcanic ash, affecting nearby villages and leaving survivors with burns and broken bones.
Local rescue authorities said the dead climbers were found near the volcano's crater, while the remaining 49 managed to descend, some with injuries.
About 120 rescue workers are involved in the search for the missing, with the ongoing eruption making helicopter rescue impossible, so they are manually rescuing injured and stranded people.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by sporadic eruptions, but officials have stressed that the search will continue despite the dangers.
Some survivors were found near the crater, and one harrowing video showed rescue workers carrying injured hikers to safety in the darkness of the night.
Among the rescued hikers was 19-year-old Zafira Zarim Febrina, who sent a video message to her mother asking for help.
Febrina was on a hiking trip with 18 of her school friends when the eruption occurred. She is currently admitted to a nearby hospital, where she is mentally affected by the trauma of witnessing the burns and enduring the pain all night.
The eruption caused ash fall that reached as far as Bukittinggi, the third largest city on West Sumatra. Residents reported that nearby cars, scooters and ambulances were covered in ash, temporarily blocking sunlight.
Mount Marapi is on the second alert level of Indonesia's four-tier system, prompting authorities to establish a 3km exclusion zone around the crater. At least eight rescued climbers suffered burns, demonstrating the dangerous conditions near the erupting volcano.
Families anxiously await news as the search for a missing hiker intensifies. The family was filled with relief when rescue workers confirmed that Febrina was safe via live stream on TikTok.
The Indonesian archipelago, located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, is active in volcanic and seismic activity, and there are nearly 130 active volcanoes across the country.
Source: dailypost.ng