The death toll from a volcanic eruption in Indonesia has gone up to 22, after rescuers found nine more bodies.

The volcano spewed a 3km (9,800ft) ash cloud into the air on Sunday, shrouding surrounding villages in ash.

More than 50 either descended or were rescued by emergency teams. During the last two days, 46 eruptions had occurred, said authoritie

The Indonesian archipelago sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.

Mount Merapi stands 2,891 meters (9,485 feet) tall and is situated on the island of Sumatra, where authorities have long prohibited residents and tourists from hiking within a three-kilometer radius of its crater.

There were 75 hikers in the area during the eruption, most of whom have been evacuated and received treatment for burns.

The eruption started at 2.54 p.m. local time Sunday, sending hot ash and volcanic debris 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) into the sky.

The search for the 10 missing hikers on Mount Marapi resumed on Tuesday after being paused due to safety worries.