Volcanic eruption in Indonesia claims 11 lives, 12 climbers remain missing

The recovery of 11 climbers’ bodies took place on Monday, following the intense eruption of Mount Marapi in Indonesia. Meanwhile, rescue efforts persist in the search for 12 individuals still considered missing. Mount Marapi has maintained the third-highest alert level since 2011, indicating heightened volcanic activity and imposing restrictions on climbers and villagers within a 3-kilometer radius of the summit, as explained by Hendra Gunawan, the head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation. Gunawan emphasized the prohibition of climbing to the peak, allowing only access below the danger zone. However, despite these regulations, some climbers disregarded the rules, driven by their desire to ascend further. About 75 climbers initiated their ascent on the nearly 2,900-meter mountain on Saturday, facing stranding issues. Eight of those rescued on Sunday were hospitalized, with burns and one suffering a broken limb, according to Hari Agustian, an official at the local Search and Rescue Agency in Padang, the West Sumatra provincial capital.

All climbers had registered either at two command posts or online through West Sumatra’s conservation agency before their climb, Agustian noted. The possibility of others taking unauthorized routes or local residents being present in the area remains unconfirmed. Sunday’s eruption emitted dense ash columns reaching heights of 3,000 meters, spreading ash clouds over several kilometers. Nearby villages and towns were covered in volcanic debris, with falling ash affecting visibility and sunlight. Video footage on social media captured the faces and hair of evacuated climbers smeared with volcanic dust and rain.

The eruption prompted authorities to distribute masks and advise residents to wear eyeglasses for protection against volcanic ash. Approximately 1,400 people reside on Marapi’s slopes in Rubai and Gobah Cumantiang, the nearest villages located 5 to 6 kilometers from the summit. Gunawan clarified that the eruption on Sunday did not show significant precursor volcanic earthquakes, with only three recorded between November 16 and the eruption day. The eruption’s rapid occurrence and shallow center of pressure near the summit were highlighted.