Death Toll Rises to 22 in Indonesia’s Mount Marapi Eruption.
Agam, Indonesia: The death toll from the eruption of Mount Marapi on the island of Sumatra has climbed to 22, with the discovery of nine more bodies, according to officials from the search and rescue agency.
The volcano spewed an ash tower 3,000 meters into the sky, surpassing its height. Rescue efforts have been underway for days to locate missing hikers, with the majority now found.
Abdul Malik, head of Padang Search and Rescue Agency, confirmed that nine of the ten missing victims were found dead, with evacuation ongoing for the remaining victims.
Rescue officials have been carrying the deceased down the mountain in body bags for several days. Among the 75 hikers on the mountain during the eruption, some were found alive but suffered burns and fractures.
The ongoing eruption of Mount Marapi has slowed rescue efforts, involving more than 200 personnel.
Survivors describe the panic during the eruption, with individuals zig-zagging down the mountain to safety. Ahmad Rifandi, head of Marapi’s monitoring post, reported continued eruptions, stating that Marapi remains highly active.
The volcano has been on the second level of a four-tier alert system since 2011, with a three-kilometer exclusion zone imposed around its crater.
Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia’s volcanology agency, suggested that hikers may have ventured too close to the crater, emphasizing the recommended exclusion zone. Severe impacts were reported for victims within one to 1.5 kilometers from the crater.
The victims’ identification process involves dental and fingerprint records or marks on their bodies, according to Eka Purnamasari from the West Sumatra police medical unit.
Indonesia, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Mount Marapi, known as the “Mountain of Fire,” is the most active volcano on Sumatra island among the country’s nearly 130 active volcanoes.
Local witnesses described the shock and trauma experienced by villagers during the eruption, marked by thundering noise, jolts, and a booming sound.
Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP)