Villages near the Marapi Volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra have been rocked by cold lava flows and flooding. Many people lost their lives as a result of the incident.
At least 43 people have been killed by cold lava and flooding from the eruption of Mount Marapi volcano in western Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. Heavy rain on Saturday sent ash and rocks tumbling from Mount Marapi, Sumatra’s most active volcano. The mudslides caused extensive damage and disrupted life in two districts. In addition to casualties, more than 100 houses, mosques and public buildings in the region were damaged. 17 people were reported missing. “I heard a sound like thunder and boiling water,” said Rina Devina, 43, from the foot of the volcano.
“It was pitch dark; I used my cell phone as a flashlight; I repeatedly said, ‘God, have mercy’,” Devina said. “It was pitch black; I used my cell phone as a flashlight. The road was muddy; I repeatedly said ‘God, have mercy’,” Devina said. Devina said his neighbor’s house was destroyed by the rocks and four of his neighbors lost their lives. By midday on Sunday, teams had recovered 19 bodies in the hardest-hit village of Canduang. Nine people were found dead in the neighboring town of Tanah Datar. The Marapi Volcano erupted on December 5, 2023, killing 23 climbers. In February, dozens of houses were damaged in floods in Tanar Daha. Last month, eruptions at the volcano caused ash to rise up to 2 kilometers in the sky and blocked roads, and more than 11 thousand people were evacuated. Marapi means ‘Fire Mountain’ in the local Minang language.
