Nearby Airport Temporarily Closed... Evacuation Order for Over 10,000 People
Tsunami Possible if Volcano Collapses
The Ruang volcano in Indonesia, which has been issued a 'highest level' volcanic alert, has continued erupting for several days, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders to more than 11,000 residents.
On the 20th (local time), Antara News Agency and AP News reported, citing Indonesian authorities, that the Ruang volcano on Ruang Island in North Sulawesi Province has erupted at least three times since the 19th, with eruption columns reaching up to 1,200 meters in height. The Ruang volcano began erupting slightly on the morning of the 16th and had a major eruption on the night of the 17th. At that time, gray smoke rose 1,800 meters from the volcano's summit, and lava flowed down. Since then, large and small eruptions have continued, spewing volcanic ash.
On the 17th (local time), Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, erupted, spewing black smoke and lava. [Photo by AFP Yonhap News]
Due to this volcanic eruption, Manado International Airport, the capital of North Sulawesi Province located more than 100 km from the Ruang volcano, was closed until the 19th. Some flight routes were also canceled in nearby areas such as Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, due to the impact of volcanic ash. Local Kompas TV reported that volcanic debris falling from the sky damaged roofs and covered buildings and roads with gray ash.
The Indonesian National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) issued a ban on access within a 6 km radius of the crater and ordered evacuation for more than 11,000 residents on Ruang Island and nearby areas. However, despite the authorities' orders, only about 2,000 residents have evacuated, while the rest remain in their homes. Local media expressed concerns about potential casualties in this situation.
The disaster authorities, worried about respiratory problems caused by volcanic ash, have been distributing masks to residents and urging them to evacuate to safe locations. So far, no casualties have been reported. The Indonesian Volcanology Agency stated that the Ruang volcano is still emitting black ash and lava, and because continued eruptions could cause parts of the volcano to collapse into the sea and trigger a tsunami, the volcanic alert remains at the highest level, Level 4.
On the 19th, people in Sitaro, Tagulandang Island, North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, are watching the eruption of Mount Ruang across the sea. [Photo by AFP Yonhap News]
The Ruang volcano has recorded eruptions since 1808 and typically experiences large eruptions every 20 to 30 years. During a major eruption in 1871, part of the Ruang volcano collapsed into the sea, causing a tsunami. The last recorded eruption was in 2002, when residents also evacuated to safe locations. Indonesia, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, has more than 400 volcanoes. Among them, about 120 are active volcanoes, and more than half of these, 65, are classified as hazardous volcanoes.
In 2018, the Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait erupted, causing about 70% of the volcano to collapse, which triggered a tsunami that killed around 400 people. In December last year, the Marapi volcano in Sumatra suddenly erupted, resulting in the deaths of 23 hikers.
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