Indonesia quake: More than 500 hikers rescued from Lombok volcano
Over 500 hikers and their guides have been successfully evacuated from a volcano in Lombok island of Indonesia after a deadly earthquake triggered landslides that trapped them on the mountain. Tons of rock and mud were dislodged on Lombok's Mount Rinjani in the 6.4-magnitude quake, which struck early Sunday and was followed by aftershocks, blocking the hiking routes that crisscross the mountain. Here's more.
Stranded trekkers include citizens of US, France, Netherlands, Germany
An estimated 560 stranded trekkers were thought to have included citizens from the United States, France, the Netherlands, Thailand, and Germany, as well as many other countries, according to search and rescue officials.
Six people left to be rescued: Officials
"543 hikers have been evacuated. They arrived last night," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. "There are now six people left. They are all healthy and safe," he said. Hikers were able to start descending the mountain on Monday after guides discovered an alternate route unaffected by the landslides. Most of the trekkers reached the mountain base by late Monday evening.
Earthquake has claimed 16 lives so far
At least 16 people were killed in the earthquake across affected areas of Lombok, while hundreds of buildings were destroyed including a health clinic. The quake created panic on the holiday island and sent locals and tourists running outside their homes and hotels. Helicopters and search teams were deployed to scour the volcano's slopes and drop food supplies for those stranded on the mountain.
