One of the most active volcanoes – 22 mountaineers die in the eruption of Marapi in Indonesia – News

  • The Marapi volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra erupted on Sunday afternoon.
  • Search parties have found another nine dead at the Marapi volcano. This brings the death toll to 22.
  • The dead reportedly had severe burns.

The death toll from the sudden eruption of the Marapi volcano on the island of Sumatra (Indonesia) continues to rise. More dead mountaineers were found on Tuesday afternoon, local emergency services chief Abdul Malik told media. The number of confirmed deaths is now 22. One mountaineer is still missing.

According to reports, the dead mostly had severe burns. Some survivors said they sought shelter behind rocks as ash and rubble fell from the sky.

The mountain of fire – the literal translation of “Marapi” – does not come to rest. Five additional outbreaks have been recorded since Tuesday morning. This, combined with the rainy weather conditions, is hampering the rescue operations of the emergency teams, especially the ashfall.

Legend:

The “Marapi” mountain of fire in Indonesia erupted on Sunday.

Reuters / ANTARA PHOTO

Videos from the Indonesian news agency Antara show rescuers wearing breathing masks and helmets searching the rubble on the slopes below the volcano crater.

Bad weather and ash rain

The rescue teams focused primarily on a rocky area where many of the mountaineers were said to have camped, said rescue chief Abdul Malik. “We don’t expect to find any survivors.” The safety of the teams is now the top priority. “It has been raining continuously since yesterday evening, making the paths slippery and hindering the evacuation team.” Because of the rainfall, it is hardly possible to use search drones.

The 2,885 meter high Merapi volcano erupted early on Sunday afternoon and threw an ash cloud around three kilometers high into the sky. Ash rain fell in many regions around the volcano.

Marapi and Merapi: The world’s most dangerous volcanoes


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Marapi (also called Merapi or Berapi) is a 2,885 meter high active volcano in West Sumatra, Indonesia. It last broke out in 2018. At that time, volcanic ash rose up to five kilometers above the crater height.

There is also a volcano called Gunung (“Mountain”) Merapi on the Indonesian main island of Java. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the country and is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.

According to measurements, the Marapi in West Sumatra erupted for almost five minutes. The volcano’s activity has increased since January, according to the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazards (PVMBG). Then the Marapi only seemed to calm down again – until the eruption on Sunday.

Climbers ignored warnings

Authorities urged people to wear masks, hats and goggles when outdoors to protect themselves from ash and falling volcanic rock. However, most of the affected hikers are said to have climbed higher than was officially permitted. It had already been recommended to avoid the volcano crater within a radius of three kilometers.

Even in the Philippines the earth does not rest


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Since Saturday’s massive tremors, almost 2,000 aftershocks have been recorded in the south of the Philippines (Mindanao). This was announced by the local earthquake monitoring station Phivolcs. The population should expect further tremors in the next few weeks, but the intensity will lessen over time, said Phivolcs director Teresito Bacolcol on Philippine television.

The death toll rose to three, and more than a dozen people were injured, according to authorities. According to civil protection, around 100,000 people were on the run.

The quake on Saturday off the coast of Surigao Del Sur province in the east of the island of Mindanao occurred at a shallow depth. The US earthquake monitoring station had estimated the quake to be 7.6 in magnitude, while the Philippine authorities estimated it to be 7.4. A tsunami warning was later lifted.

The world’s largest island nation lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the most geologically active zone on earth. The Ring of Fire stretches in East Asia from Indonesia through the Philippines to Japan, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common. There are around 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia alone.

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