Spanish tourists trapped by Indonesian earthquake now safe
Wednesday, August 1, 2018 @ 1:28 AM
ALL FIVE Spanish tourists trapped in the volcanic national park of Rinjani, Lombok island after the recent earthquake have now been rescued, Spain's foreign office reports, and they are all in good health.
Earlier today (Tuesday), Indonesian authorities confirmed it had evacuated 543 hikers from the mountain range, a popular holidaymaker attraction, after the tremor blocked the entrances and left them unable to get out.
Only 10 climbers, all Indonesians, were said to be still awaiting rescue and are expected to be airlifted down tomorrow.
Among those trapped were 189 foreigners, 173 Indonesians, 31 tour guides and 150 porters, according to National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugrohooy.
So far, one visitor to the Rinjani volcano is known to have died, an Indonesian man.
It was initially believed that as many as 689 may have been stranded up the Rinjani, based upon the national park's entrance register, but the final total is now thought to have been about 553.
All foreigners trapped there have now been safely removed.
The earthquake on Lombok island on Sunday reached 6.4 on the Richter scale and was even felt on the island of Bali.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com