Hikers trapped on mountain when volcano erupts in Indonesia

Dozens of hikers were trapped on a mountain when a volcano erupted in Indonesia.Around 75 mountaineers had set out to climb Mount Merapi, an active volcano straddling the Agam and Tanah Datar Regencies in West Sumatra, on December 2 afternoon.However, the volcano erupted at around 2:54 pm on Sunday, December 3, leaving the climbers stranded as ash blanketed the mountain's slopes and nearby villages.Harrowing footage shows a hiker covered in ash and mud waiting to be rescued as volcanic dust blotted out sunlight.Rescue officials said 26 hikers have not descended since Sunday. Eleven of them were declared dead. Three survivors have been rescued, while 12 more people were being sought.Eka Dhamayanti, Daily Executive Head of the West Sumatra Province Natural Resources Conservation Center, said: 'Some of the hikers have already come down. Most of them are still in the mountain area and are in the process of being evacuated.'Rescue operations were temporarily suspended due to a minor eruption on Monday morning, December 4.Mount Merapi is an active stratovolcano located in Central Java, Indonesia. It is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the world, known for frequent eruptions that pose a significant threat to nearby populated areas. The volcano's name means 'Mountain of Fire', reflecting its fiery and eruptive nature.Indonesia sits inside the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' where the majority of Earth's volcano eruptions and earthquakes happen.