Earlier today on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the volcanic Mount Sinabung erupted, killing at least 14 people including a group of schoolchildren. The death toll is expected to climb.

The volcano has been active for months, spouting hot ash over the various villages that populate the area. But on Friday, officials allowed some evacuated residents to return to their homes outside a three mile radius surrounding the volcano.

According to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for the country's National Disaster Management Agency, they expect to uncover more bodies as rescue efforts continue, but progress on that front is currently being impeded. "We suspect there are more victims but we cannot recover them because the victims are in the path of the hot clouds," he said.

But among the confirmed dead were four high schoolers who were in the village of Sukameriah on a sightseeing trip to the volcano, which awakened in September after being dormant for three years.

[image via Getty]