In the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Merapi in West Sumatra, Indonesian rescuers have located the bodies of 11 hikers, with 12 others still missing, as reported by officials and cited by news agency AFP. The eruption on Mount Merapi, which occurred on Sunday, resulted in the evacuation of numerous hikers and local residents residing on the mountain's slope. Following the eruption, which emitted a three-kilometer ash column, the volcano is currently on the third-highest alert level, leading authorities to establish an exclusion zone around its crater.
According to Abdul Malik, the head of the Padang Search and Rescue Agency, a total of 75 hikers were on the mountain from Saturday. Of these, 26 individuals have not yet been evacuated. Search and rescue efforts have identified 14 of them, with three found alive and 11 discovered deceased.
In response to a small eruption on Monday, the search for the missing climbers was temporarily halted, as confirmed by an official speaking to Reuters. Rudy Rinaldi, head of the West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency, noted that some of the rescued hikers were undergoing medical treatment, particularly for burns sustained due to the intense heat generated during the eruption.
Mount Merapi, standing at 2,891 meters and referred to as the "Fire Mountain" in Indonesia and Java, is situated on the border between the Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces. It holds the distinction of being considered the most active volcano in Indonesia, having experienced regular eruptions since 1548.
The Indonesian archipelago, located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, witnesses heightened volcanic and seismic activity due to the convergence of continental plates.
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