Indonesia Volcano Erupts, Injuring 9
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A rumbling volcano has erupted in eastern Indonesia, leaving at least one hiker missing, injuring nine others and forcing the closure of an airport, media reports said on Friday.
Spokesman for Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said today that Mount Gamalama on Ternate island in North Maluku province spewed hot ash and smoke up to 2,000 meters into the air just before midnight Thursday.
He says nine panicked hikers fell while fleeing to safety and suffered severe injuries. Four of them were hospitalized and rescuers are searching for the tenth still missing, AP reported.
An airport in Ternate, the provincial capital about 30 kilometers from the volcano, was closed today.
Indonesia has about 500 volcanoes, including 128 active ones and 65 listed as dangerous.
