Indonesian emergency services are continuing their search for three hikers who remain missing after an eruption of Mount Dukono on Halmahera island on Friday. Local rescue officials reported that teams have located and evacuated 17 people who had been trapped by the volcanic activity, while the search for the remaining three is ongoing.
The country's volcanology agency reported that the eruption began at 07:41 a.m. local time (1041 GMT Thursday) and propelled volcanic ash up to 10 km (6.21 miles) into the atmosphere. Agency head Lana Saria said the alert level for the mountain remains at the third highest setting in a public statement.
Video released by the volcanology agency showed a large cloud of hot ash emerging from the crater and spreading across the volcano's slopes. Officials noted that Mount Dukono had seen a lull in activity last year but experienced renewed unrest at the end of March, with nearly 200 small-scale eruptions recorded during that period.
The local rescue agency initially reported that 20 hikers had been caught by the eruption, listing the group as comprising nine Singaporeans and 11 Indonesians. Iwan Ramdani, head of the local rescue agency, confirmed to Reuters that 17 people had been found and evacuated, but said it was not yet clear how many of those rescued were Singaporean. He added that the search continues for the three hikers still missing.
Local police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told Reuters that survivors had reported three fatalities in the eruption, including two Singaporeans, but the rescue agency had not confirmed those deaths at the time of the report.
Authorities reiterated that climbing Mount Dukono has been prohibited since an earlier eruption in 2024. Residents were also warned to avoid any activities within 4 km (2.5 miles) of the crater. The volcanology agency cautioned about the potential for volcanic mudflows if rains occur following the eruption.
As of the latest updates, there were no reports of flight disruptions linked to the eruption. Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an area of high seismic activity atop various tectonic plates.
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