*This article was written in early December 2023.

A severe eruption of the volcano Mount Merapi in Sumatra, Indonesia occurred on December 3, 2023. The event killed at least 22 people, of whom were all hikers climbing the volcano’s side. There were mounting worries as many more people were still trapped or missing near the volcano and dozens more might have been injured at the time of reporting. Rescue workers said they saved three survivors near the mouth of the volcano, who were all immediately rushed to the hospital. The doctors on call reported that the survivors had severe burns due to the volcano’s heat, smoke and lava. A few residents living along the side of Mount Merapi were told by rescue workers to evacuate their homes immediately due to potential aftershocks or avalanches. Nearby hiking companies were also told to temporarily close their doors for a while due to this volcanic eruption, as nearby mountain conditions were contaminated by the volcanic ash and smoke.

Volcanologists have said that this volcano has been active since February 2023, but no evacuation protocols were implemented in the surrounding area. A rescue operation was considered for the remaining trapped people on the volcano. However, it was postponed as the volcano was still releasing lava, making it dangerous for all parties to rescue these hikers at the time. Instead, rescue workers said they would rescue those hikers once the volcano eased.

Four days after the eruption, the smoke from the volcano was so severe that it affected the air traffic control and nearby airspace around the island of Sumatra; some neighbouring islands had local airlines stop services or change their usual flight paths due to the smoky conditions. On that day, the smoke and ash rose fifteen kilometers high into the air, making it unsafe for planes to pass through, the dust possibly clogging their engines.