Jakarta, May 9 (IANS) Search and rescue teams continue to look for three missing climbers following the eruption of Mount Dukono, Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said on Saturday.
Abdul Muhari, BNPB’s Head of Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Centre, on Saturday said that two of the missing climbers are foreign nationals and one an Indonesian.
“On the second day of the operation, the team focused the search on an area believed to be where the victims were located. The two foreign nationals were detected 20 to 30 metres from the rim of the main crater,” he added, Indonesia’s Antara news agency reported.
According to BNPB, the two foreign nationals had been located, but due to extreme terrain and high volcanic activity at Mount Dukono, evacuation efforts had not yet been carried out. However, the Indonesian climber has not been located yet.
The report mentioned that regret was expressed by BNPB over the climbing activity despite the Mount Dukono hiking route being fully closed since April 17 by the the Mount Dukono hiking route.
“We urge hiking operators and the public to help disseminate information about the route closure. Violations may result in sanctions under prevailing regulations to ensure public safety,” Muhari said, noted the report.
BNPB also urged the public to comply with the Geological Agency recommendations on activity restrictions to prevent similar incidents, it added.
Mount Dukono erupted at around 7:40 am local time on Friday, sending a column of volcanic ash up to about 10 km into the sky.
Local police said that three people were killed due to the sudden erruption.
The rescue authorities warned residents not to carry out activities within a 4-km radius of the crater and cautioned that volcanic mudflows could occur during rainfall.
Mount Dukono, standing 1,087 metres above sea level, is one of Indonesia’s 127 active volcanoes.
–IANS
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