Mount Dukono Eruption Claims Three Lives and Traps Hikers in North Halmahera
Three people have died and twenty hikers remain unaccounted for after Mount Dukono spouted ash 10km high on Friday morning, despite the area being officially closed to visitors since mid-April.
A significant eruption of Mount Dukono on Halmahera island has resulted in three fatalities and left twenty hikers trapped in the vicinity of the active crater. The event occurred at 07:41 local time on Friday, sending a plume of volcanic ash 10km into the sky and accompanied by booming sounds.
Indonesian officials confirmed that the area surrounding the Malupang Warirang crater was officially closed to visitors on 17 April due to heightened volcanic activity. Despite these warnings, the incident has prompted a coordinated search operation involving dozens of personnel, including police and local rescue teams.
Police chief Erlichson Pasaribu of North Halmahera stated that three hikers were killed, including two foreigners, though their specific nationalities have not been disclosed. Among the twenty hikers currently missing, nine have been identified as being from Singapore.
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation reported that Mount Dukono has been extremely active since March, recording nearly 200 eruptions in that period. Authorities have advised residents and tourists to maintain a safe distance of at least 4km from the crater to avoid ejected rocks and potential lava flows.
Given the northward lean of the ash distribution, the government agency issued specific warnings to residents in Tobelo town regarding the risk of volcanic ash rain. Local rescue agency head Iwan Ramdani confirmed the deployment of search teams to locate the missing hikers, noting that their current status remains uncertain as the operation continues.
