Indonesia Volcano Mount Marapi Erupts, Stranding Ash-Covered Climbers Awaiting Rescue

Dozens of climbers are stranded on an Indonesian mountain after a volcanic eruption on Sunday, according to officials and reports.

Mount Marapi, located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, erupted on Sunday, leaving 42 hikers unaccounted for, according to the Singaporean daily newspaper The Straits Times.

Seventy hikers checked in at two entry points while climbing Marapi, according to the West Sumatra natural resources conservation agency.

“The... 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,” the agency's interim head Dian Indriati said, per the outlet.

Photos and videos posted to social media show ash-covered hikers waiting to be evacuated from the area.

Video of the eruption posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, by the natural resources conservation agency show thick, gray smoke rising up into the sky following the eruption.

"The eruption of this volcano was marked by the spewing of a column of ash containing volcanic material up to 3,000 meters high," the agency said in its tweet.

Subsequent posts from the agency said the volcanic eruption caused ash to fall "with such intensity that it made the atmosphere in Nagari Lasi very thick and dark." Nagari Lasi is located in the Adam Regency of West Sumatra.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.