JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesia’s Marapi volcano erupted and sent more ash and toxic smoke high into the atmosphere on Tuesday, one week after the mountain came to life and exploded, killing at least 23 climbers.
According to the country’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, West Sumatra’s Mount Marapi, which stands at 9,251 feet, erupted early Tuesday morning local time and sent ash more than 10,000 feet into the air.
The eruption was relatively minor and nowhere near the intensity that was observed during last week’s eruption.
Marapi first erupted on Dec. 3 and sent volcanic ash raining down on communities near the volcano, which “made the atmosphere in Nagari Lasi very thick and dark.”
There were 75 climbers in the area during that eruption, and search and rescue operations were launched after the volcano awakened.
Officials said 40 of those climbers were able to descend on their own, with others needing to be rescued.
However, officials said 23 climbers were killed during that eruption.
The volcano remains at the second-highest alert level, which is the same as it was before last Sunday’s initial eruption.