WorldIndonesia mounted a rescue operation Monday to reach more than 500 hikers and guides stranded by landslides on an active volcano on Lombok, a day after a powerful earthquake struck the holiday island. Tonnes of rock and mud were dislodged on the mountain in the 6.4-magnitude quake, which struck early Sunday and was followed by scores of aftershocks, leaving hikers with no easy way down to safety. Those believed to be stranded include citizens from the United States, France, The Netherlands, Thailand and Germany, as well as many other countries, search and rescue officials said. At least 16 people were killed in the earthquake across affected areas of Lombok, while hundreds of buildings were destroyed. "For supplies, they can still survive for another one to two days," Agus Hendra Sanjaya, spokesman for Mataram's search and rescue agency, told AFP.

Source: Sunday Times July 30, 2018 05:26 UTC