JAKARTA: Indonesian authorities on Thursday said they had concluded a search and rescue mission for any hikers missing or killed after a volcano eruption over the weekend that left twenty-three individuals dead.
Mount Marapi, located on Sumatra Island in the western part of Indonesia, discharged an ash plume that reached 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) into the sky on Sunday, catching 75 hikers in the vicinity.
To explore the area, hikers are required to register with local authorities through an online booking system, pay a nominal fee, and use designated entrances. Ichwan Pratama, an official from the Agam disaster mitigation agency, stated in a Thursday release, “All victims have been found, the last victim was found dead. Therefore, based on an evaluation, the search and rescue operation led by Basarnas is closed.” He added that an emergency post would remain active for families still searching for their relatives.
Edi Mardianto, the deputy chief of West Sumatra police, confirmed on Wednesday evening that all rescue personnel would “return to their respective units.” Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesia’s volcanology agency, noted that Mount Marapi had been on the second level of a four-tier alert system since 2011, with a three-kilometer exclusion zone established around its crater. Gunawan seemed to attribute the incident to hikers approaching the crater, emphasizing that the agency recommended no activities in that specific area.
Indonesia, located in the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences volcanic and seismic events. Mount Marapi stands as the most active volcano in Sumatra and is one of nearly 130 active volcanoes in the Indonesian archipelago.
