(Photo: Andri Mardiansyah/Xinhua)
Mount Marapi spews volcanic material in West Sumatra, Indonesia, Dec. 4, 2023. Mount Marapi in Indonesia's West Sumatra province erupted on Sunday, spewing ash and affecting areas several kilometers away.
JAKARTA, Dec. 4 - At least 11 climbers have died and some others are still missing after the eruption of the Marapi volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, a local rescue official said Monday.
"In the first phase, 49 climbers were found. All survived and were taken to hospital and some returned home. In the second stage, we found 14 people, three survived and 11 others died," Padang Abdul Malik, head of the search and rescue agency, told Xinhua news agency.
The trio were on their way to the base of a mountain in western Indonesia in the middle of an eruption.
Authorities have deployed nearly 100 people to search for a total of 75 reported climbers.
Mount Marapi, which is up to 2,891 metres above sea level, has been erupting since Sunday, spewing a column of ash up to 3,000 metres high, spreading volcanic ash and rocks into the surrounding area.
Authorities have banned people from staying in the danger zone within a 3 km radius of the main crater.
XINHUA/USA
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