Indonesian authorities halted Monday the search for 12 climbers after Mount Marapi volcano erupted again, unleashing a new burst of hot ash as high as 800 meters (2,620 feet) into the air, officials said.
The bodies of 11 climbers were recovered earlier in the day — while searching for those missing — but attempts to relocate them were hindered by the renewed activity, West Sumatra's Search and Rescue Agency head Abdul Malik said. The search operation would resume once conditions improved, he added.
The volcano in West Sumatra, Indonesia spewed thick columns of ash as high as 3,000 meters into the sky in a sudden eruption, which started on Sunday
Hot ash clouds spread several miles.
The volcano erupted again the next day, further hampering rescue efforts.
The volcano has stayed at the third highest of four alert levels since 2011, a level indicating above-normal volcanic activity, prohibiting climbers and villagers within 3 kilometers of the peak.
Officials say some climbers and hikers may have ignored this warning.
An expert said that Sunday's eruption was not preceded by a significant increase in volcanic earthquakes.
The volcano is notorious for erupting without major warning signs.
About 75 climbers had started their way up the nearly 2,900-meter (9,480-foot) mountain on Saturday and became stranded.
Authorities rescued 52, including three on Monday. Eight of those rescued Sunday were rushed to hospital with burns and one suffered a broken limb, said Hari Agustian, an official at the local Search and Rescue Agency in Padang, the West Sumatra provincial capital.
Rescuers carry a climber injured in the eruption of Mount Marapi in Agam, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 4, 2023.
Indonesian authorities have halted the search for 12 climbers after Mount Marapi volcano erupted the second time.
Falling ash blanketed several villages and blocked sunlight, and authorities distributed masks while urging residents to wear eyeglasses to protect them from volcanic ash.
There are roughly 45 volcanoes in a continuing state of eruption around the world, according to the Smithsonian Institution's global volcanism program.
And on top of that, there are over 1400 volcanoes considered "active" - including one on Australian soil.
Read on to see the other most active volcanoes in the world.
Italy's Mount Etna erupted in late November, spewing hot lava into the air.
The spectacular explosion is the latest eruption by one of the world's most active volcanoes.
Ash and clouds created by the volcano's frequent eruptions pose a threat to the nearby city of Catania, situated on Sicily's coast.
The volcano stands at a height of 3300 metres above sea level. Lava and ash quickly swept over the snow-blanketed alps.
Italian news agencies say the closest airport to Mount Etna was unaffected by the volcanic activity.
A photographer captured the moment that Lava erupted from the snow-covered volcano.
The latest eruption was quite spectacular.
A satellite photograph shows just how close the volcano is to the seaside town of Catania, on the island of Sicily.
Reykjanes Volcano in Iceland has been showing increased signs of activity late in 2023, with local officials closing roads and evacuating some settlements near the island on November 13.
If the volcano erupts, it could disrupt flights all over Europe.
Flights are often cancelled as a precaution after eruptions because jet engines can be disrupted by high-flying volcanic ash.
The eruption of an Icelandic volcano in 2010 led to 95,000 flights being cancelled.
Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano has erupted twice, with the most recent even in June 2023. There are ongoing signs of volcanic activity.
The volcanic explosion on Krakatau in 1883 was one of the largest eruptions in modern history, and could be heard thousands of kilometres away.
More than 36,000 people died after it caused a series of tsunamis.
The cone of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka, the stratovolcano in the far east of Russia, is the highest mountain on the Kamchatka Peninsula and the highest active volcano of Eurasia.
After an explosion on November 12, 2023 a plume of suspended ash rose as high as 6km and drifted more than 60km from the tip.
Ulawon, in Papua New Guinea is currently erupting.
The stratovolcano is one of Papua New Guinea's most frequently active. The volcano, also known as the Father, rises above the North coast of the island of New Britain.
All throughout November it has been spitting ash and lava, though has since begun reducing its activity.
Ol Doinyo Lengai, in Tanzania, is one of Africa's only active volcanoes.
At the very top of the volcano's cone, a simmering pit of Lava is nestled at the peak.
Throughout the year, lava has bubbled away at the top of the remote mountain.
Rincón de la Vieja in Costa Rica is currently at a "level three alert" out of four stages of volcano warnings.
Throughout November, plumes of ash and smoke have emerged from the Volcano hidden deep in the Costa Rican mountains.
Sometimes known as the "Colossus of Guanacaste," it has an estimated volume of 130 cubic kilometres underground and contains at least nine major eruptive centers.
Ubinas volcano in Peru has been active in recent weeks, and the public warned to stay over 2km away from the crater.
Lava was seen spilling down the side of Mawson Peak, one of Australia's only active volcanoes, in May 2023.