Mount Marapi Eruption: At Least 22 Hikers Found Dead, Expert Suspects Negligence

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Mount Marapi in West Sumatra Province erupted on Sunday (3/12). At least 22 found dead as they were in the vicinity of the volcano during the incident. The authorities believe the number may increase. 

An expert also suspected there was a negligence which resulted in the dead of hikers, because the status of Marapi had been on alert level since 2011, therefore hiking should not have been allowed.

According to the hiking data, there were 75 who were coming to Marapi on Sunday. Per Wednesday, the Search and Rescue Agency in the province stated that 75 people survived, 1 still lost, and 22 found dead. Some of the survivors suffered from burns. 

But there was a possibility that other people were hiking from the unofficial route, therefore the number of victims might increase. The Search and Rescue team have asked the public to notify the authorities if their family members have gone missing while hiking.

One of the victims, Yasilir Amri, was a female hiker who sent a video to her mother before she lost her life. The now viral video showed Yasilir looked exhausted while her face and surrounding area were covered with vulcanic ashes.

Some of the victims of eruption were college students from the State Polytechnic of Padang. 14 students went hiking on Sunday, but only six survived.

One of the students, Wahlul Ade Putra, was hiking with his mother, both of them perished in the tragedy. The Director of State Polytechnic of Padang, Surfa Yondri, has formally offered his condolences. 

The name of Mount Marapi is similar to Mount Merapi, but the two mountains are different with the latter is located in Java Island, between Central Java and Jogjakarta Provinces.

Marapi erupted around 14.55 local time on Sunday. The residents near the mountain said it felt like an earthquake. The volcano mountain kept erupting until Monday. 

"I thought there was an earthquake, but no tremor. I ran out of the house, then saw the Marapi eruption," said Zahra, a resident of Sungai Pua district.

Other residents who lived around Marapi are also safe. So far, the victims of Marapi are only hikers who were allowed to hike on Sunday.

The Head of Indonesian Association of Geologists, Ade Edward, pointed out the possibility of negligence because no hikers should have been permitted to hike in the first place. 

"The status of Marapi Mountain is alert Level II since August 2011, it has been evaluated and the tren never gone down," said Ade Edward to Liputan6.com on Tuesday.

"Since no one knew when it would erupt, therefore it should not have been approached. But by BKSDA, it was opened for tourism," he explained.

BKSDA is Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (natural reserve conservation office). Edward said BKSDA in the province must be held accountable.

Ade said the family of the victims could sue the BKSDA for criminal negligence. 

The acting head of BKSDA in West Sumatera, Eka Dhamayanti, argued that there was "agreement" between the regional government and the locals to open Marapi last July to make sure the hiking route was safe.

Novia Harlina contributed to this report.