Indonesia’s Marapi volcano spews ash clouds a week after deadly eruption

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - An aerial view shows Mount Marapi (background right) spewing volcanic ash during an eruption as seen from Batusangkar in Agam, West Sumatra, at dawn December 6, 2023. — AFP pic

JAKARTA, Dec 13 — Indonesia’s Marapi volcano spewed clouds of ash half-a-kilometre high into the sky today, the country’s volcanology agency said, a week after eruptions killed 23 climbers.

The 2,891-metre-high Marapi, one of Sumatra island’s most active volcanoes, erupted at around 6am local time (2300 GMT/7am Malaysian time) this morning and again at noon, Hendra Gunawan, the chief of Indonesia’s volcanology agency, said.

The eruption, he added, was relatively minor given recent activity, but the alert for the volcano remained at the second-highest level.

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Footage seen by Reuters showed large clouds of gray ash billowing from Marapi’s crater, and local residents carrying out their daily activities from a safe distance.

Local authorities banned people from climbing the volcano following last week’s eruption, the deadliest since 1979 when 60 people were killed.

Indonesia straddles the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire,” an area of high seismic activity that rests atop multiple tectonic plates.

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With more than 140 volcanoes, Indonesia has the largest population globally living in close range to a volcano, including 8.6 million people within 10km. — Reuters