Indonesia’s Ruang volcano continues to spew gray smoke as volcanic debris hits the area and triggers another round of evacuations on Tagulantang island.
Also read: Indonesia’s Ruang volcano erupts again, alert level at highest
The Rouen volcano erupted on Tuesday, spewing fresh lava and more hot clouds, prompting authorities to evacuate more than 12,000 people from the island of Tagulandang and order flight cancellations and airport closures, Reuters reported.
Following the new eruption, the Center for Volcanoes and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) issued the highest level of alert, warning that “collapse of volcanic material into the ocean” could trigger a tsunami. It also urged island residents to stay at least 7 kilometers (4 miles) away from the crater.
Also read: 31-year-old Chinese woman falls into Indonesian volcano while taking photos
According to a video shared by the National Search and Rescue Agency, residents of about a hundred villages have been evacuated by a navy ship and hundreds more are awaiting rescue.
About 11,000 to 12,000 people living within a 7-kilometer radius will be sent to government shelters, agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said. “Manado search and rescue agency personnel are evacuating 109 Tagrundang residents to Munte port, while hundreds of people are still waiting to be evacuated at Minanga port,” the agency said in a statement, according to Reuters.
Ruang volcano had earlier erupted in mid-April, disrupting more than 200 flights on April 18 and 19, affecting tens of thousands of passengers. Tuesday’s eruption left several villages covered in ash, gravel and rocks. It has also forced the closure of at least seven nearby airports, including Sam Ratulangi International Airport serving North Sulawesi province’s capital Manado, and nearby schools have also been closed to protect children from the ash. .
Also read: This amazing volcano is raining down gold dust on Earth — 80 grams a day worth $6,000
Mount Ruang is a 725-meter (2,400-foot) volcano located on Ruang Island, North Sulawesi, and one of approximately 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. The archipelago nation is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because it is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active region where multiple tectonic plates meet.
(Based on input from each agency)