Mount Marapi volcano spews volcanic ash as seen from Nagari Batu Palano in Agam, West Sumatra province, Indonesia, December 4, 2023, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. The 2,891-metre high volcano in West Sumatra erupted on Sunday, spewing gray clouds of ash as high as 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) into the sky. Search operations for 10 missing climbers were under way on Tuesday, local authorities said, with about 200 local rescuers involved. For more than a decade, Indonesia's volcanology agency had sent monthly letters warning the environment ministry and local conservation agency that climbers should keep a safe distance from the volcano's peak, said agency head Hendra Gunawan. The volcano erupted several times in January and February 2023, but its relatively infrequent eruptions during the past decade have made it difficult to analyse, said Ahmad Basuki of the volcanology agency.

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Persons: Antara, el, Indonesia's, Hendra, Rescuers, Marapi, Ahmad Basuki, Ananda Teresia, Kate Lamb Organizations: Rights, Reuters, West, Thomson Locations: Batu, Agam , West Sumatra, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, West Sumatra, West Sumatra's, Mt