Rabat – More than 11,000 individuals have been evacuated from their homes in northern Indonesia following multiple eruptions of Mount Ruang, located in North Sulawesi Province.
The volcanic activity began on Tuesday evening. Subsequent eruptions occurred throughout Wednesday, sending plumes of smoke and ash into the sky.
As a result, Indonesia’s volcanology agency raised the alert level for Mount Ruang to four, the highest level on the scale.
Agency chief Hendra Gunawan said that “the force of Mount Ruang’s eruption is getting bigger and has emitted hot clouds of approximately 1.7 kilometers,” CNN reported.
Authorities have extended the exclusion zone around the volcano’s crater from four to six kilometers, which prompted the evacuation of additional residents.
Initially, over 800 individuals were relocated to Tagulandang Island, while the widening exclusion zone necessitated further evacuations to the provincial capital, Manado.
Officials expressed concerns about the potential collapse of part of the volcano into the sea, which could trigger a tsunami.
“At least 11,615 residents who are in the risk area must evacuate to a safe place,” Abdul Muhari, the head of the disaster agency’s disaster data, communications, and information center said.
Video footage shows streams of red lava pouring down the mountainside. This poses a significant threat to nearby communities.
The eruption has also disrupted air travel in the region, with Malaysia Airlines suspending several flights to and from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Sabah and Sarawak.
Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado remains closed until at least Thursday evening due to the spread of volcanic ash, which poses a risk to flight safety.
Similarly, Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Malaysia experienced significant flight disruptions.
The volcanic activity at Mount Ruang follows two recent earthquakes in the area, which likely triggered the eruptions.
Situated along the “Ring of Fire,” Indonesia is home to 120 active volcanoes.
