Eleven hikers found dead as Mount Marapi Volcano erupts in Indonesia

New Delhi: Dead bodies of eleven hikers were recovered by a rescuing team near the crater of Indonesia's Mount Marapi, following a weekend volcanic eruption.

The volcanic activity, which occurred on Sunday, propelled ash up to at least 3 kilometres into the air.

Rescue efforts on Monday yielded three survivors, albeit in weakened conditions and bearing burns, according to Abdul Malik, head of the Padang Search and Rescue Agency.

Regrettably, the search for the 12 missing individuals has been halted due to a renewed eruption, underscoring the difficult conditions on the mountain.

At the time of the eruption, a total of 75 hikers were present in the vicinity, but the majority managed to evacuate safely. The volcanic event prompted authorities to declare the second-highest alert level and enforce a strict prohibition on residents approaching within 3 kilometres of the crater.

Video footage capturing the eruption depicted a colossal plume of volcanic ash blanketing the sky, while ash-covered roads and vehicles bore witness to the eruption's aftermath. In the aftermath, forty-nine climbers, many of whom suffered burns, were evacuated on Monday.

Jodi Haryawan, spokesperson for the local search and rescue team, emphasized the inherent danger in continuing search operations amid ongoing volcanic eruptions. T

The 2,891-meter-high Mount Marapi, situated on Indonesia's westernmost Sumatra island, is one of the 127 active volcanoes in the archipelago, reflecting the seismic and volcanic nature of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates converge, characterizing Indonesia's geographical landscape.