According to international news agencies, the eruption of Mount Merapi in West Sumatra, Indonesia, resulted in the discovery of 11 bodies of tourists following the volcanic eruption. Additionally, three individuals were reported injured, and 12 climbers are currently missing. Reports indicated that due to the eruption on the previous day in West Sumatra, multiple people in the mountainous region were forced to evacuate. The eruption led to a
three-kilometre column of ash, prompting authorities to establish an exclusion zone around the danger zone.
Abdul Malik, head of the Search and Rescue Agency, stated that there were a total of 75 passengers on the mountain for a week, with 26 individuals yet to be evacuated. Among the 14 individuals who had not been brought down, 11 lost their lives, and three sustained injuries.
Rudi Reynaldi, head of the West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency, mentioned that some of the injured individuals are being provided medical assistance. Mount Merapi, situated at an altitude of 2,891 meters, is considered a fire mountain in Indonesia and Java. It is located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, is the most active volcano in Indonesia and erupting regularly since 1548.
Increased volcanic activity and earthquakes have been observed in Indonesia’s island chains due to the convergence of tectonic plates in the Ring of Fire, leading to eruptions and seismic events.
