Rinjani closed to climbers<\/p>\n
Iman D. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
Hikers have been banned from climbing Mount Rinjani after the
\nvolcano, located on the eastern island of Lombok, spewed out
\nsmoke and showers of stones on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The volcano, a popular destination for mountain climbers from
\nall over the world, began rumbling last week, said Syamsul Rizal,
\na government vulcanologist, as quoted by AP news agency.<\/p>\n
Despite the warning for the hikers, Rizal said that it was not
\nnecessary to evacuate villagers living near the peak of the
\nmountain. The 3,723 meter volcano last erupted in 1994, causing
\nthe deaths of at least 30 people.<\/p>\n
Rinjani is among 129 volcanoes in Indonesia, the world's
\nlargest archipelago nation.<\/p>\n
Separately, in East Java, two climbers were found dead on
\nMonday night on Mount Bromo's Pananjakan Slope.<\/p>\n
Choirul, a friend of the two climbers, recalled climbing the
\nmountain with them on Saturday. They had approached it via
\nPananjakan Slope and were intending on celebrating Kasada, an
\nannual ritual for native Tengger people, on the mountain.
\n The path had been slippery and the three climbers had fallen
\ninto a 100-meter-deep ravine.<\/p>\n
Choirul said his life had been saved as his clothes had caught
\non a tree. The bodies of his friends were discovered two days
\nlater on Monday. The three were among thousands of people who
\nwere climbing to the crater of Mount Bromo to observe the Kasada
\nceremony.<\/p>\n
A few months ago, when Mount Bromo erupted killing two people,
\nincluding a Malaysian tourist, a warning had been issued urging
\npeople not to climb Mount Bromo.<\/p>\n
The warning still stood on Saturday, but it fell on deaf ears
\nas many people, eager to participate in the Kasada ritual, chose
\nto ignore it. Locals believe that the annual event, which
\ninvolves people throwing offerings into the volcano's crater for
\nthe Gods, brings them greater prosperity.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rinjani-closed-to-climbers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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