Death toll in Indonesia volcano eruption now 34

The death toll from the eruption of Indonesia's Semeru volcano on Tuesday went up to 34, media reported quoting a spokesman of Indonesia's disaster agency.

According to Kyodo News, 17 people are still missing in the incident.

Quoting National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari, Kyodo News rpeorted that about 3,700 people have been displaced.

Authorities earlier said that at least 3,000 houses were damaged and 169 people injured by the eruption of Mt. Semeru in East Java Province.

Semeru, located in Indonesia's East Java province, erupted on Saturday, emitting large amounts of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, wrecking homes and damaging a local strategic bridge. Initial local media reports said that at least one person died and 41 suffered burns.

Hot ash from the 3,676-meter-high volcano had reached an area as far as 11 kilometers from the crater near its peak, destroying and burning everything -- vegetation, livestock and houses -- along the way.

President Joko Widodo visited an affected village and pledged to ensure that the displaced people "have been well taken care of," while also expressing his condolences to the disaster victims, Kyodo News said.

It further reported that with eruptions ongoing, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has advised residents and others to remain 1-5 km away from the peak, depending on where they are in relation to the volcano.

( With inputs from ANI )

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