What could have transpired as a happy memory of hiking with friends took an unexpected turn for Muhammad Fadli. Little did Fadli and his 16 other hiking friends know that the peaceful backdrop of Mount Marapi would drastically unleash a volcanic performance shrouding the landscape in ash.

Making his way out of the harrowing site, his take emerges as a gripping chronicle of survival against the ruthless natural occurrence. The survivor recounted the chilling moments from their hiking adventure when the ground quaked, an ash cloud engulfed the sky and rocks hurtled through the air, a sight he had never imagined even in his worst nightmare. 

Hiker’s perilous ordeal on the volcanic summit

Fadli found himself on the frontline of the volcanic eruption while he was having a joyful time hiking with his friends to the top of Mount Marapi. Propelled by the volcanic fury, the hiker tried to seek refuge and in the meantime faced a barrage of rocks while the ground trembled. 

Fadli shared his experience from the Padang Panjang Hospital with BBC as he, along with his friends, navigated through the treacherous conditions when exposed to the eruption, “We kept trying to move downhill by constantly looking for places to protect ourselves in the cliffs.” He tried his best to dodge the incoming rocks with his empty hand. 

ALSO READ- Death of a 49-Year-Old Hiker in the Adirondacks Adds to Tragic Chronicles and Wilderness Woes

Even though he had been successful in his first attempt, he eventually ended up breaking his finger, continuing with the action while another larger rock left him immobilized with a broken leg. However, his resilience and quick thinking helped him to survive, and his tale of fighting for life epitomizes the challenges encountered when caught in nature’s fury. Moreover, Fadli was not the only one who encountered nature’s fury.

Chaos engulfed another hiker as well

Amidst the eruption chaos, Fadli got separated from the rest of the group and he, along with his three friends, made the perilous descent. While making their way down the mountain, the vision of the hikers got blurred with thick black smoke that further added to their arduousness. Besides, they fought burns and injuries and sought constant refuge to shield themselves from the heat cloud.

Another hiker, a 19-year-old student, Zhafirah Zahrim Febrina, also known as Ife pleaded for help and sent a heartbreaking video message to her mother from the volcanic site. The emotional call for assistance from survivors like Fadli and Ife echoed the mental and physical trauma that the hikers experienced that will forever leave a mark on their lives. The confirmed death of 22 hikers raises questions about the reasons behind the hikers being permitted to climb Mount Marapi even after it was marked by alert status in 2011. 

Survivors like Fadli and Ife have been extremely lucky to make their way through the terror that nature posed to them. However, for the hikers who lost their lives facing the volcanic inferno, it serves as a somber reminder to respect nature and to be cautious while embarking on adventurous feats. 

Watch This Story: 72-Year-Old Hiker Miraculously Rescued After Dramatic 50-Foot SLide in California’s Griffith Park