Six British tourists 'descend Indonesian volcano' after deadly earthquake

At least six British hikers are believed to have safely descended an Indonesian volcano after an earthquake struck on Lombok island, killing 16 people and injuring more than 160.

Hundreds of tourists are making their way off 12,224ft Mount Rinjani after the 6.4-magnitude tremor on Sunday.

Six Britons who registered to climb the mountain are believed to have confirmed to officials that they have made their way safely to its base, while others may have gone unreported.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Embassy officials are in close contact with Indonesian authorities about the search and rescue operation on Mount Rinjani.

"A number of British nationals are confirmed safe. We are continuing to monitor the situation."

The earthquake on Sunday morning killed 16 people, including an Indonesian student who was climbing the volcano.

More than 1,400 homes were damaged on the island after the tremors struck from a shallow depth, which tends to inflict greater devastation.

Lombok, east of Bali, attracts tourists from across the globe with its hiking trails and beaches.