Sri Lanka, May 8 -- Twenty people, nine of them from Singapore, were reported missing on Friday (May 8) after Mount Dukono on Indonesia's eastern Halmahera island erupted, spewing a smoke cloud some 10km into the air.
"Our team is on its way. It is not yet confirmed if there are injured people. Based on reports, there are about 20 people being searched for," search and rescue official Iwan Ramdani said by telephone.
He confirmed the 20 were all hikers, even though the area had been closed to visitors since Apr 17 after scientists observed an increase in volcanic activity.
Three of the hikers have died, police said to local broadcaster Kompas TV.
BBC News Indonesia and Tribun Ternate reported that two victims were from Singapore, althoug...