Indonesia volcano death toll mounts as rescuers search for survivors
At least 14 people have died after the eruption of Mount Semeru volcano. Molten ash has coated at least 11 villages in the Lumajang district.
At least 57 people were injured in the eruption, of whom 41 suffered burns and were hospitalised,.
The death toll from a sudden, spectacular eruption of Indonesia's Mount Semeru has risen to 14.
Rescuers continued their search for survivors on Sunday in villages blanketed in molten ash in the Lumajang district.
The eruption of Java's biggest mountain caught locals by surprise on Saturday, sending thousands fleeing its path of destruction and forcing hundreds of families into makeshift shelters.
It left at least 11 villages coated in volcanic ash, submerging houses, smothering livestock and leaving at least 900 evacuees seeking cover in mosques, schools and village halls, disaster officials said Sunday.
Dramatic footage showed Semeru pumping a mushroom of ash into the sky, looming over screaming residents of a nearby village trying to escape.
An Indonesian rescue officer stands near a broken bridge that was hit by the eruption of Mount Semeru in Candipuro village,
"The number of victims who died until now is 14 people," national disaster mitigation agency spokesperson (BNPB) Abdul Muhari told a press conference.
READ MORE: East Java residents flee as Indonesia's Semeru volcano erupts
As many as 10 trapped people were rescued from the surrounding areas in Lumajang, East Java province, Muhari said.
Local broadcaster Kompas TV reported those rescued were local workers at a sand mining site.
Trucks covered by volcanic ash which is spewed out of Mount Semeru are seen in Sumber Wuluh Village, Lumajang.
Dozens injured
At least 57 people were injured in the eruption, of whom 41 suffered burns and were hospitalised, the BNPB said in a press release.
Lava destroyed at least one bridge in Lumajang and prevented rescuers from immediately accessing the area and those trapped in shelters.
But emergency service footage from one village on Sunday showed a desolate scene, with roofs of houses protruding from the coat of mud that had destroyed them.
The rescue teams were using heavy loaders to remove debris, Muhari said.
Officials have sent aid to shelters, including food, tarpaulins, face masks, and body bags.
Villagers carry their livestock to be evacuated after the eruption of Mount Semeru hit Sumber Wuluh Village, Lumajang.
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Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
The Southeast Asian archipelago nation has nearly 130 active volcanoes.
In late 2018, a volcano in the strait between Java and Sumatra islands erupted, causing an underwater landslide and tsunami which killed more than 400 people.
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