Monday, December 04, 2023

 

70 climbers stranded after volcano erupts in Indonesia

Sky News Australia
 Dec 3, 2023
A volcano in Indonesia has erupted, blanketing nearby towns in ash.

Mount Marapi in West Sumatra shot volcanic ash 3,000 metres into the air.

70 people climbing the 2,900-metre mountain were left stranded after the eruption.

The acting head of North Sumatra’s conservation agency says 28 of the climbers have been rescued so far.

 

Hikers trapped on Mount Marapi as volcano erupts in Indonesia

Dec 4, 2023 
#volcanoeruption #marapi #indonesia

At least eleven hikers have been killed after a volcano erupted on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia on Sunday. Dozens of hikers were trapped and many suffered burns when Mount Marapi erupted. The volcano spewed ash as high as 3,000 metres into the air according to officials.

Hikers t as volcano erupts in Indonesiarapped on Mount Marapi
 

BEGS THE QUESTION; 
WHO CLIMBS A FUCKING ACTIVE VOLCANO

Videos Show Indonesian Towns Covered in Ash After Volcano Erupts

Eurasia’s Tallest Active Volcano Has Erupted


By Natalie Venegas
Weekend Reporter
NEWSWEEK
Dec 03, 2023 

Videos showing the ash filled aftermath of a volcanic eruption in Indonesia on Sunday have made their way across social media.

Mount Marapi, located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, erupted on Sunday, spewing white and gray ash plumes more than 9,800 feet into the air and sending hot ash clouds several miles away. There were no immediate reports of casualties, Ahmad Rifandi, an official with Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center at the Marapi monitoring post, told the Associated Press. However, 42 out of 70 hikers that checked in at two entry points while climbing Mount Marapi are unaccounted for, according to the Singaporean daily newspaper The Straits Times, citing the West Sumatra natural resources conservation agency.

"The...(Sumatra) agency team are conducting evacuations. Twenty-eight people have been evacuated and efforts are still being made (to evacuate) the rest. Hopefully there are no fatalities and everyone is safe," Dian Indriati, the interim head of North Sumatra's conservation agency, said in a video statement.

National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun in many areas, according to the AP.

Volcanic ash spews from Mount Marapi during an eruption as seen from Tanah Datar in West Sumatra on Sunday. Videos showing the ash filled aftermath have made their way across social media.ADI PRIMA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Authorities also distributed masks and urged residents to wear eyeglasses to protect them from the volcanic ash.

At nearly 10,000 feet tall, Mount Marapi is one of Indonesia's most active volcano complexes. About 1,400 people live on Mount Marapi's slopes in Rubai and Gobah Cumantiang, which are the nearest villages from the peak.

Since the eruption, many videos have been shared to social media showing the aftermath.

The Agensi Berita Nasional Malaysia, a Malaysian national news agency, took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a video of the large cloud of ash.


"Mount Marapi, Sumatra Island's most active volcano, erupted at 2.54pm (local time) on Sunday, causing ash to fall in the Agam district of West Sumatra and authorities advising people to wear face masks.Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Mitigation Center (PVMBG) reported that the eruption spewed ash containing volcanic material up to three kilometers from the summit crater, accompanied by rumbling noises," the agency wrote.

In addition, the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) took to X to share a series of photos and videos showing the vastness of the volcanic ash.


"Mount Marapi, which is in the administrative area of ​​Agam and Tanah Datar Regencies, West Sumatra, erupted today, Sunday (3/12) at around 14.54 WIB. The eruption of this volcano was marked by the spewing of a column of ash containing volcanic material up to 3,000 meters high," BNPB Indonesia wrote.

Newsweek has reached out to the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure via email for comment.



In another post, videos show the Indonesian towns amid the ash as viewers can see how spread out the aftermath is.

"According to the PVMBG seismogram recording results, the eruption of Mount Marapi was recorded with a maximum amplitude of 30 mm and a duration of 4 minutes 41 seconds. Currently the Agam Regency BPBD team is already in the two areas closest to the peak, namely Sungai Pua District and Canduang District," BNPB Indonesia wrote.




While in another post, viewers can see how thick and dark the ash is.

"Direct reports from the field by the Control and Operations Center (Pusdalops) team of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Agam Regency, volcanic ash rain fell with such high intensity that it made the atmosphere in Nagari Lasi very thick and dark," BNPB Indonesia wrote.



Mount Marapi's alert level was maintained at the third-highest of four levels, while authorities had been closely monitoring the volcano after sensors picked up increasing activity in recent weeks.

It has been active since January when it also erupted without causing casualties. It is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

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Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice

Indonesia's Marapi Volcano Erupts, Blankets Nearby Villages With Ash

December 03, 2023 
Associated Press
Mount Marapi volcano spews volcanic ash as seen from Nagari Batu Palano in Agam, West Sumatra province, Indonesia, Dec. 3, 2023. 
(Antara Foto/Iggoy el Fitra/via Reuters)

PANANG, INDONESIA —

Indonesia’s Mount Marapi in West Sumatra province erupted Sunday, spewing white-and-gray ash plumes more than 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) into the air and sending hot ash clouds several miles away.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, said Ahmad Rifandi, an official with Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center at the Marapi monitoring post. The two routes for climbers were closed after the eruption and villagers living on the slopes of the mountain were advised to stay 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the crater’s mouth because of potential lava.

About 70 climbers started their way up the nearly 2,900-meter (9,480-foot) mountain Saturday and became stranded. So far, 28 have been successfully evacuated with the rest still awaiting rescue, said Dian Indriati, the acting head of North Sumatra’s conservation agency.

A video on social media shows the climbers were evacuated to a shelter, their faces and hair smeared with volcanic dust and rain.

National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun in many areas. Authorities distributed masks and urged residents to wear eyeglasses to protect them from volcanic ash, he said.

About 1,400 people live on Marapi's slopes in Rubai and Gobah Cumantiang, the nearest villages about 5 to 6 kilometers (3.1 to 3.7 miles) from the peak.

Marapi's alert level was maintained at the third-highest of four levels, Abdul Muhari said, and confirmed that authorities had been closely monitoring the volcano after sensors picked up increasing activity in recent weeks.

Marapi has been active since January when it also erupted without causing casualties. It is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

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