Mount Marapi: Death toll rises to 22 after Indonesian volcano's eruption

Two days after the surprise eruption of Indonesia's Mount Marapi, the rescuers have discovered the bodies of 22people so far from the slopes of the volcano, according to an AFP report.

Hundreds of rescuers have been working around the clock, battling difficult terrain and horrid weather to locate the missing hikers.

"Nine of the 10 missing victims were found dead this afternoon and at the moment, they are being evacuated. There is one remaining victim currently in the search," Abdul Malik, head of Padang Search and Rescue Agency was quoted as saying by AFP.

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At the time of the eruption, as many as 75 hikers were found alive and carried down quickly by the first responders. Even then, many of them suffered burns and fractures.

Hendra Gunawan, the head of Indonesia's volcanology agency, blamed the hikers for going too close to the crater which led to the loss of lives. The agency recommends no human activities in the zone and that "severe impacts" were reported for victims within 1.5 kilometres from the crater.

Watch |Gravitas: Indonesia's Volcanic Calamity: The Death Toll of Mount Marapi

Mount Marapi eruption

On Sunday, Mount Marapi erupted, spewing an ash tower of 3,00 metres, taller than the volcano itself, into the Sumatra sky. Marapi has stayed at the third-highest of four alert levels since 2011 which indicates above-normal volcanic activity.

The forceful dispersion of volcanic ash over nearby districts has left roads and cars coated in a layer of ash.

In response to the eruption, authorities implemented strict safety measures, prohibiting residents and visitors from engaging in any activities within a three-kilometre radius of the volcano's crater.

WATCH | Indonesia's Marapi volcano erupts, blanketing West Sumatra with layers of ash

Why the frequent eruption?

The frequent volcanic activity in the region shows the country's vulnerability to natural disasters, primarily dye to its geography.

Indonesia is a vast archipelago comprising thousands of islands within the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped zone encircling the Pacific Ocean, characterised by high seismic and volcanic activity.

The tectonic activity in the Pacific Ring of Fire is a result of the movement of several tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface.

Indonesia, specifically, sits at the convergence of several major tectonic plates, including the Indo-Australian Plate, the Pacific Plate, and the Eurasian Plate. The constant moving of theseplates is responsible for the earthquake and volcanic eruptions.

(With inputs from agencies)