When a volcano erupted, the tourists wanted to run downhill — one word from their guide saved them

Figuring out what to do next in the middle of a natural disaster can be confusing and overwhelming, especially if you're inexperienced. On April 6, an Indonesian guide/porter (@ambi_bolll) shared a clip of a once-in-a-lifetime hiking experience on his TikTok. A group of hikers had decided to climb one of the most active volcanoes on the island, Mount Dukono, not knowing it would erupt with them teetering on the crater's edge. As the plumes of smoke rose, panic ensued, and everyone tried to make their way down before a guide yelled at them to stop.

In the clip, a man holding the camera was seen contemplating his next step — trek back down or stay put? As the ash and smoke started rising from the volcano, he decided to run down till he heard the voice of an experienced guide telling him and the others to stop. The guide was yelling at the hikers, "Don't go down, come up! Up, up, up." Trusting the guide's instincts, he listened and climbed back up.

Volcanoes can be quite unpredictable, which is why the safest way is to 'stay put' during an active eruption. One of the biggest risks for hikers is the rising ash and falling debris that could hit them while going back down the volcano towards 'safety.' Not only are the ash and debris dangerous, but the toxic volcanic gases can make it unsafe since it tends to travel downwards during an eruption. Without even sensing the poisonous gases, the hikers could have walked right into trouble.

The guide commented on his own post, creating awareness for travelers and hikers who wish to visit high-risk places. A rough translation of the comment reads, "A word of advice for anyone planning to climb Mount Dukono: it is mandatory to bring along a local resident or a guide who possesses genuine expertise regarding the mountain. Furthermore, extreme caution is essential. Mount Dukono is synonymous with volcanic eruptions. Consequently, the local residents and guides are accustomed to such activity, which explains why, in the video, it was the locals who remained the most composed."

Mount Dukono is located in a fairly remote place in Eastern Indonesia, in the northern part of the Halmahera Island. It stands at an elevation of 3,888 ft or 1,185 meters, and is an active volcano. Right before it erupted on April 6, the Emergency and Disaster Information Service monitored a previous eruption on March 31. Dukono erupted at 6:48 a.m., and volcanic ash rose as high as 900 meters above its peak. A seismogram was used to record the eruption. The peak size was 30mm, and it lasted for 48.54 seconds.

You can follow BIBOL (@ambi_bollll) on TikTok for more adventure content.

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