MORE than 600 stranded hikers had been successfully rescued from Mount Rinjani on Indonesia’s Lombok Island by yesterday morning, two days after a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the popular tourist destination.

The final six hikers were brought down from the mountain yesterday morning, confirmed National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, following a massive combined rescue effort involving almost 200 Indonesian police, military and medical personnel.

The hikers had become trapped on the mountain’s numerous hiking routes after the earthquake, which struck early Sunday, unleashed a series of landslides blocking their path back down to safety.

Hundreds of foreign hikers were among the 600 rescued from the 3,726-meter mountain, said Nugroho.

It is not known whether those rescued from the mountain will require additional medical treatment.

Tipatai Phusit, a hiker from Thailand, who was on top of Mount Rinjani when the earthquake hit, said he saw a number of people hit by rocks and debris.

The toll of the earthquake, which killed 16 people, is still being counted across the rest of the popular tourist spot.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced Monday each damaged property would receive 50 million rupiah (US$3,468) in aid to help them rebuild, according to state news agency Antara.

(SD-Agencies)