“23 people are suspected to have died. We all prayed they all could be rescued but there was nothing we could do, God and nature had made a decision,” he said.
On Wednesday morning the volcano, which means Mountain of Fire, was still billowing a column of smoke into the sky, an AFP journalist said.
“SOME JUMPED”
Fifty-two people were rescued since the eruption and some of the survivors have described their panic after it started.
“I was zig-zagging, going down around 30 to 40 metres” to a trekking post, Ridho, 22, told AFP from a bed in a nearby hospital.
“The eruption sounded loud, I took a look behind and then immediately ran away as everyone did. Some jumped and fell. I took cover behind the rocks, there were no trees there.”
Suharyono said on Tuesday evening that two of the 75 hikers were police officers, one who survived and the other one he suspected had died.
“They both just wanted to see the volcano, they were off duty,” he said.
“One of them survived and had a broken arm, he is being treated by doctors. For the other one, we suspected he died. Let’s wait for confirmation.”
Source: CNA
