11 climbers die in volcanic eruption in Indonesia, search ops halted due to lava discharge

Eleven climbers died in a volcanic eruption in Indonesia on Monday (Dec 4), forcing the authorities to halt their search operation for the remaining missing 12 people.

The eruption of the Marapi volcano in West Sumatra began on Sunday and according to local media reports around 75 climbers were stuck at that time.

The 2,891-metre-high volcano spewed ash as high as 3 km (9,843 ft) into the air, prompting the authorities to raise an alert to the second-highest level and prohibiting residents from going within 3 km (1.86 miles) of the crater.

Ash blankets villages 

A video circulating on social media showed the climbers were evacuated to a shelter, their faces and hair smeared with volcanic dust and rain.

Falling ash covered several villages and blocked sunlight, National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.

Authorities distributed masks and urged residents to wear eyeglasses to protect them from volcanic ash, he said.

While the authorities managed to rescue 28 climbers, search operation was initiated to rescue the other climbers.

Rescue ops halted due to small eruption 

On Monday, the rescue officials found 11 climbers dead, while three more survivors were found alive.

"There are 26 people who have not been evacuated, we have found 14 of them, three were found alive and 11 were found dead," said Abdul Malik, head of Padang Search and Rescue Agency, speaking a day after the eruption, reports AFP news agency.

Jodi Haryawan, spokesperson for the local search and rescue team, said that the search was suspended as a small eruption was taking place on Monday.

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"It's too dangerous if we continue searching now," he added.

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Forty-nine climbers were evacuated from the area earlier Monday and many were being treated for burns, he added.

Rudy Rinaldi, head of the West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency, told AFP that some of the rescued hikers were receiving medical treatment.

"Some suffered from burns because it was very hot, and they have been taken to the hospital," he was quoted as saying.

"Those who are injured were the ones who got closer to the crater," he said.

About 1,400 people live on Marapi's slopes in Rubai and Gobah Cumantiang, the nearest villages about 5 to 6 kilometres (3.1 to 3.7 miles) from the peak.

Indonesia is estimated to have 130 active volcanoes.

The Indonesian archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.

(With inputs from agencies)