At least three people have been confirmed dead and 10 others remain missing following the eruption of Mount Dukono on Halmahera Island in eastern Indonesia. The victims include two foreign nationals and one Indonesian resident from the nearby island of Ternate, according to North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu.
The eruption occurred early Friday morning, sending a massive plume of ash and smoke approximately 10 kilometers into the atmosphere. Despite the volcano being under a Level 3 alert since December—with a strict four-kilometer exclusion zone around the Malupang Warirang crater—authorities confirmed that a group of hikers had entered the restricted area.
Search and rescue teams from the national disaster agency (BNPB) are currently operating in rugged, treacherous terrain. The evacuation process has been hindered by persistent volcanic tremors and the fact that the steep landscape limits the use of vehicles, forcing rescuers to carry victims out on stretchers.
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Initial reports indicate that while seven hikers managed to descend safely and five others suffered non-life-threatening injuries, 10 people are still unaccounted for. Local police suggested that the group may have deliberately bypassed warning signs and digital alerts.
“Many are foreign tourists who intend to create content [for social media],” stated Police Chief Pasaribu, highlighting a dangerous trend of hikers ignoring safety protocols for photography and video.
Residents in the nearby town of Tobelo have been warned of potential ash fall, which poses significant respiratory health risks and threatens to disrupt local air travel. Indonesia, situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position at the meeting point of several tectonic plates.
