4 teams are working to locate 16 missing people, local media reports citing officials.
ISTANBUL (AA) – The death toll from the Semeru volcano eruption in Indonesia has risen to 34 on Tuesday, local media reported.
According to Antara News, some 34 people have been killed and 16 are still missing. Search and rescue operation continues in the region.
On Saturday, Mt. Semeru, the highest and most active volcano on Indonesia’s Java island, belched out thick clouds of smoke and ash, sparking panic among residents.
An official in Lumajang Regency said four evacuation teams are working to locate the missing persons as hot clouds have affected many residents in the region.
Mt. Semeru, which stands 3,676 meters (over 12,000 feet) above sea level, previously erupted in December 2020 and January this year.
Indonesia, an archipelago home to nearly 275 million people, sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area with several fault lines, making it prone to frequent volcanic activity and earthquakes.