According to media reports, about 20 people are trapped on the slopes of the volcano located on Halmahera Island (North Maluku Province): nine Singaporean citizens and 11 Indonesians. The death toll was confirmed by North Halmahera Police Chief Erlikhson Pasarib.

"According to the available information, these are two foreigners — citizens of China and Singapore. The exact details of their identities are still unknown," Pasarib said, adding that dozens of rescuers and police officers were involved in evacuating the survivors.

According to the local Center for Volcanology and Mitigation of Geological Disasters (PVMBG), the eruption occurred on May 8 at 07:41 Eastern Indonesian time (02:41 GMT). The column of ash rose to a height of about 10 thousand meters above the crater, exceeding the mark of 11 thousand meters above sea level. regnum.ru.