Indonesian authorities are rushing to rescue 20 hikers after Mount Dukono erupted on Halmahera island on Friday, a local rescue agency official told Reuters. The volcano in North Maluku province erupted at 07:41am Thursday, spewing volcanic ash as high as 10 km (6.21 miles) into the sky, according to the country’s volcanology agency.
The agency maintained the alert status at the mountain at its third highest level, agency head Lana Saria said in a statement. Rescue personnel, including police, have been deployed to search for the hikers trapped by the eruption. Nine of the hikers are Singaporean nationals, and the rest are Indonesians, according to Iwan Ramdani, the local rescue agency head.
Authorities warned residents to refrain from any activities within 4 km (2.5 miles) of the crater. The volcanology agency also cautioned about the risks of volcanic mudflow when it rains. There have been no reports of flight disruptions caused by the eruption so far.