Indonesian Rescuers Dig Through Volcanic Ash After 14 Die

Indonesian Rescuers Dig Through Volcanic Ash After 14 Die
A man inspects a truck buried in the ash following the eruption of Mount Semeru in Lumajang district, East Java Province, Indonesia, on Dec. 5, 2021. Trisnadi/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

LUMAJANG, Indonesia—Rescuers were sifting through smoldering debris and thick mud in search of survivors a day after the highest volcano on Java island erupted with fury, killing at least 14 people with searing gas and ash.

Mount Semeru in Lumajang district in East Java province spewed thick columns of ash more than 12,000 meters (40,000 feet) into the sky in a sudden eruption Saturday triggered by heavy rains. Villages and nearby towns were blanketed and several hamlets buried under tons of mud from volcanic debris.