Videos Show Indonesian Towns Covered in Ash After Volcano Erupts

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Videos showing the ash filled aftermath of a volcanic eruption in Indonesia on Sunday have made their way across social media.

Mount Marapi, located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, erupted on Sunday, spewing white and gray ash plumes more than 9,800 feet into the air and sending hot ash clouds several miles away. There were no immediate reports of casualties, Ahmad Rifandi, an official with Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center at the Marapi monitoring post, told the Associated Press. However, 42 out of 70 hikers that checked in at two entry points while climbing Mount Marapi are unaccounted for, according to the Singaporean daily newspaper The Straits Times, citing the West Sumatra natural resources conservation agency.

“The…(Sumatra) agency team are conducting evacuations. Twenty-eight people have been evacuated and efforts are still being made (to evacuate) the rest. Hopefully there are no fatalities and everyone is safe,” Dian Indriati, the interim head of North Sumatra’s conservation agency, said in a video statement.

National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun in many areas, according to the AP.

Volcanic ash spews from Mount Marapi during an eruption as seen from Tanah Datar in West Sumatra on Sunday. Videos showing the ash filled aftermath have made their way across social media.
ADI PRIMA/AFP/Getty Images

Authorities also distributed masks and urged residents to wear eyeglasses to protect them from the volcanic ash.

At nearly 10,000 feet tall, Mount Marapi is one of Indonesia’s most active volcano complexes. About 1,400 people live on Mount Marapi’s slopes in Rubai and Gobah Cumantiang, which are the nearest villages from the peak.

Since the eruption, many videos have been shared to social media showing the aftermath.

The Agensi Berita Nasional Malaysia, a Malaysian national news agency, took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a video of the large cloud of ash.

“Mount Marapi, Sumatra Island’s most active volcano, erupted at 2.54pm (local time) on Sunday, causing ash to fall in the Agam district of West Sumatra and authorities advising people to wear face masks.Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Mitigation Center (PVMBG) reported that the eruption spewed ash containing volcanic material up to three kilometers from the summit crater, accompanied by rumbling noises,” the agency wrote.

In addition, the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) took to X to share a series of photos and videos showing the vastness of the volcanic ash.

“Mount Marapi, which is in the administrative area of ​​Agam and Tanah Datar Regencies, West Sumatra, erupted today, Sunday (3/12) at around 14.54 WIB. The eruption of this volcano was marked by the spewing of a column of ash containing volcanic material up to 3,000 meters high,” BNPB Indonesia wrote.

Newsweek has reached out to the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure via email for comment.

In another post, videos show the Indonesian towns amid the ash as viewers can see how spread out the aftermath is.

“According to the PVMBG seismogram recording results, the eruption of Mount Marapi was recorded with a maximum amplitude of 30 mm and a duration of 4 minutes 41 seconds. Currently the Agam Regency BPBD team is already in the two areas closest to the peak, namely Sungai Pua District and Canduang District,” BNPB Indonesia wrote.

While in another post, viewers can see how thick and dark the ash is.

“Direct reports from the field by the Control and Operations Center (Pusdalops) team of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Agam Regency, volcanic ash rain fell with such high intensity that it made the atmosphere in Nagari Lasi very thick and dark,” BNPB Indonesia wrote.

Mount Marapi’s alert level was maintained at the third-highest of four levels, while authorities had been closely monitoring the volcano after sensors picked up increasing activity in recent weeks.

It has been active since January when it also erupted without causing casualties. It is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.