Volcano rescue workers dig through thick layers of hot ash in Indonesia after Mount Semeru erupts

Mount Semeru, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, erupted Saturday, shooting smoldering hot ash and volcanic gas into the air that turned the sky dark over villages in East Java’s Lumajang district. At least 15 people have died and 27 others are missing, according to the Command Post for Emergency Response of Mount Semeru. More than 1,700 people had been evacuated across 19 makeshift centers, the group said in a statement. Indonesia sits between two continental plates on what is known as the Ring of Fire, a band around the basin of the Pacific Ocean that leads to high levels of tectonic and volcanic activity. In January, Mount Merapi on Java Island erupted, shooting up a cloud of ash that led authorities to warn of the risk of lava reaching roads. The volcano violently erupted in 2010, killing more than 350 people.