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People prepare to flee during the eruption. AP Photo

Victims engulfed in ash as volcano kills at least 15

Victims were covered by scorching clouds during the eruption.

INDONESIAN OFFICIALS HAVE been searching through thick ash for bodies today after Mount Sinabung volcano erupted, killing at least 15 people.

Scorching clouds engulfed victims during the eruption on Saturday, leaving rescuers with little hope of finding survivors as they searched through ash up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) thick.

About 170 people, including from the military and police, armed with chainsaws and oxygen apparatus spread out through apocalyptic-like destruction in Sukameriah village, officials said.

Sukameriah, just 2.7 kilometres from Sinabung’s crater, is located in the “red zone” around the volcano, where human activities are strictly banned, disaster official Tri Budiarto said. Residents had been evacuated.

‘No sign of life’

“It’s very dangerous and completely out of bounds. But many of the tourists still secretly went to the area to take photographs,” Budiarto added.

image

An Indonesian soldier runs on an ash-covered road as he searches for victims. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

The first team to enter the village on Sunday morning emerged 15 minutes later empty-handed, a correspondent there said.

“There’s no sign of human life. All the crops were gone. Many houses were damaged and those still standing were covered in thick white ash. It was hard to walk in ash which nearly reached my calves,” Gito, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP.

He added:

We didn’t find bodies but we picked up a bag belonging to one of the victims. The cellphone was ringing.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, was unable to put a figure to the number of people still missing, but said there was a “chance” that the death toll might rise.

image

People search for victims. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

“A body was spotted near a tree, but we have yet to evacuate (it),” he said.

Survivors

Officials said finding survivors was unlikely.

“I doubt it would be possible for anyone to survive the heat clouds yesterday. So far, we have not found any more bodies,” said Lieutenant Colonel Asep Sukarna, who led the search operation.

The volcano on the western island of Sumatra started erupting in September, but on Saturday spewed hot rocks and ash 2,000 metres (16,00 feet) into the air, blanketing the surrounding countryside with grey dust.

image

A motorbike covered in dust from the volcano. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

Fourteen people — mainly local tourists, including four secondary school students on a sightseeing trip — were killed by lethal heat clouds which cascaded down the volcano.

A 24-year-old man who was accompanying his father to pay respects at the graves of their relatives died from his injuries early on Sunday, raising the death toll to 15, Nugroho said.

Search operation

Two other people are being treated for serious burns at a local hospital.

Officials warned that the threat of more searing heat clouds and weather conditions may affect search operations.

image

A man weeps after identifying a victim of the volcano. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

“It’s cloudy today so we worry that it might rain,” Karo district spokesman Robert Peranginangin said. “If it rains, the area will be muddy and hard to walk, so we will have to stop search and rescue.”

Officials are also putting up more signs to warn people not to enter the area, officials said.

Mount Sinabung is one of 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia that straddle major tectonic fault lines, known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The country’s most active volcano, Mount Merapi in central Java, killed more than 350 people in a series of eruptions in 2010.

- © AFP, 2014

Read: Hello, world: New island off Japan coast after volcano eruption >

Read: Volcano erupts 30 times in one day >

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    Mute Seamus MacIonnrachtaigh
    Favourite Seamus MacIonnrachtaigh
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    Dec 16th 2013, 11:36 AM

    In Ireland there are almost 100 empty houses for every homeless person.

    Funny, I don’t think Enda mentioned that last night.

    Threshold do excellent work but they really shouldn’t have to.

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    Mute John
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:08 PM

    I think its disgusting to use the picture of a homeless child in the 3rd world to contrast against housing problems in this country. The child you have depicted doesn’t have access to social services or the care we take for granted in this country.

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    Mute Alfalfa T Boggins
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:29 PM

    Send your child out to sleep on the street tonight and then tell us about the difference it is being homeless in Ireland tonight and being homeless in a third world country. At least in a 3rd world country they dont set their homeless on fire

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    Mute John
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:31 PM

    Alfalfa. Go to India or Bangladesh and see how the people in the slums live, they’re treated like vermin, they exist on nothing. the rats in this country have a better quality of life.

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    Mute Alfalfa T Boggins
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:37 PM

    Sorry John to me a homeless Child here in December is at risk as much any anyone anywhere. Most 12 year old’s are not aware of the services you speak about. Plus obviously no one would print a picture of a homeless child in Ireland, its too small a country.

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    Mute micheal285
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:23 PM

    Maybe it’s the shape of things to come John ??

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    Mute John
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:35 PM

    more than eight million Bangladeshis live on less than USD 2 a day. Its disgusting how people in our sheltered first world bubble compare their ‘hardships’ to the people of the 3rd world. We don’t know real hardship in this country. Open your eyes!

    http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=4794

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    Mute Aunty Simmonite
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    Dec 16th 2013, 12:28 PM

    Contrast the few comments on this issue with the outpourings of the do-gooders on the earlier ‘racist’ item.

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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Dec 16th 2013, 1:04 PM

    John… Charity BEGINS at home.. I dont know what kind of a mind would think its ok for an Irish child to suffer a little bit.. Its ok to be cold and hungry and wet.. At least she isnt suffering like those in the third world..

    A child should be subjected to NO suffering.. no matter what part of the world you live in..

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    Mute Mitch Connor
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    Dec 18th 2013, 3:32 PM

    Gg

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    Mute Arpy O'hEigceartaigh
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    Dec 16th 2013, 4:34 PM

    “Suffer little children to come unto me”
    I say no more; think about it.

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    Mute John Allen
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    Dec 17th 2013, 1:49 PM

    fantastic work is being done in cork in regard to homeesess and your journal is doing a great job in high lightind the matter my em address is danielgreydog@yahoo.co.uk used to do a lot of hunting in glanmire woods happy christmas an the new year too god bless

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