Overview
- The volcano, which erupted at 7:41 a.m. local time on Friday, blasted a dense ash column about 10 kilometers high and hit a group of roughly 20 hikers on Halmahera.
- Rescue teams have brought down between 14 and 17 people, several with injuries, and taken them for treatment as crews work in dangerous conditions.
- Police said two victims were from Singapore and one was an Indonesian from Ternate, and their bodies remain on the slopes because fresh bursts and toxic gases block recovery.
- Authorities say the hikers breached a four‑kilometer exclusion zone that had barred climbing, and police detained the group’s guide and an assistant who could face criminal charges.
- The geological agency warned that ash could fall on nearby towns such as Tobelo and that rain could trigger volcanic mudflows, noting Dukono’s long‑running activity and a marked uptick since late March.