Volcano death toll in Indonesia rises to 22

Rescuers evacuating one of the victims from the slopes of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra on December 4 (Photo: AFP)

Hanoi (VNA) - The death toll from a volcano eruption in Indonesia has risen to 22 after nine more bodies were discovered, an official of local search and rescue agency said on December 5.

According to Abdul Malik, head of Padang Search and Rescue Agency, nine of 10 missing victims were found dead in the same day afternoon.

Mount Marapi on the island of Sumatra spewed an ash tower 3,000m - taller than the volcano itself - into the sky on December 3.

Some of the 75 hikers on the mountain during the eruption were found alive and carried down, with multiple suffering burns and fractures.

The search and rescue operation faced difficulties due to continued volcanic activity and bad weather. According to the Marapi’s monitoring post, it had observed five eruptions from midnight to 8:00 am on December 5.

The 2,891 metre high volcano, which is currently on the second alert level of Indonesia's four-step warning scale, is among the most active volcanoes on Sumatra island.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity. Currently this country has nearly 130 active volcanoes./.