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Search and rescue workers combed Mount Marapi in Indonesia after a volcano erupted, leaving dozens of hikers stranded on its slopes. Five bodies have been recovered and another 18 are missing and presumed dead, authorities said Tuesday.
There were 75 hikers on the mountain at the time of Sunday’s eruption, said Abdul Muhari, communications director for the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency, said in a briefing. Ongoing volcanic activity complicated rescue operations, but about 50 people were recovered alive for medical treatment, Indonesian national newspaper Kompas reported.
Mount Marapi, located in West Sumatra province and one of Sumatra island’s most active volcanoes, erupted for 4 minutes and 41 seconds, spewing ash 9,800 feet into the air and raining down on the surrounding area, the Indonesian disaster agency said .
It has shown increased volcanic activity since January, when a smaller eruption occurred, the agency said. Alert level was raised on November 16, meaning tourism was not recommended within two miles of the peak, the agency added.
There have been eruptions previously in 1830 and 1979, which reportedly killed around 60 people. It spewed ash for several years between 2011 and 2014 before erupting. Indonesia, a Pacific island chain in the “Ring of Fire” formed by tectonic plates, is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world.
correction
An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency’s communications director. He is Abdul Muhari. The article has been corrected.