Tourism: Hundreds of hikers are stuck on the volcano after an earthquake in Lombok

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N After the earthquake on the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok, hundreds of hikers were trapped on an active volcano. 560 tourists and mountain guides have been affected, the director of Rinjani National Park, Sudiyono, said on Monday. The evacuation started during the day. According to the authorities, they should last until Tuesday. Among the tourists were also German.

560 people were stuck at the Rinjani volcano, said the director of the national park. "500 are in the region of Segara Anakan and 60 in Batu Ceper." Among the tourists were also American, French, Dutch and Thai citizens.

They were cut by landslides. As a result of the earthquake, tons of rocks and mud fell on the mountain, the trails were closed after the earthquake.

Mountain guides later discovered an alternative route. The first groups of hikers could then start the descent. "Currently, domestic and international tourists are coming down," said a spokesman for the rescue teams. However, their return was not scheduled until evening (local time).

Helicopter and rescue teams had already been sent to the slopes of Mount Rinjani. There are many hiking trails that are popular with tourists.

The magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurred Sunday, 50 kilometers northeast of the capital of Lombok, Mataram. At least 16 people were killed. The tremors caused panic among locals and tourists who ran in the streets.

After the first earthquake, there were two other major earthquakes and more than a hundred aftershocks. Hundreds of buildings and a hospital were destroyed in the earthquake zone.

The village of Medas, north of Mataram, was particularly affected and most of the houses were destroyed. According to the authorities, about 160 people were injured in Lombok. Some 5,100 people were in temporary shelters

Thai Thanapon Worawutchainan, who was at the top of the mountain at the time of the main earthquake, posted a video on the Facebook online network that shows people who stumble in the valley. A compatriot, Funknathee Prapasawat, said: "It looked like the mountain would collapse in front of me. Some people have been hit by rocks.

President Joko Widodo visited the disaster area on Monday and pledged financial support to those affected. The Rinjani is with 3726 meters the second highest volcano in Indonesia. His last major eruption occurred in the fall of 2016.