11 hikers die as volcano erupts in Indonesia

 Eleven hikers were found dead and 12 missing after a volcano erupted in Indonesia, with rescuers racing to carry injured and burned survivors down Mount Marapi on Sumatra. The volcano spewed an ash tower 3,000 meters taller than the volcano itself into the sky on Sunday. Twelve were missing, three more were found alive, and 49 had safely descended from the crater, some with burns and fractures. Heavy rain and poor visibility hampered rescue efforts, and about 120 rescuers were involved in the response. The search will be conducted for seven days, with forensic workers preparing to identify the dead through dental and fingerprint records or marks such as birthmarks and tattoos. Marapi is on the second alert level of Indonesia's four-step system and authorities have imposed a three-kilometer exclusion zone around its crater.