MANADO, Indonesia. As Mount Ruang on Sulawesi Island unleashed at least five large eruptions, Indonesian authorities took swift action on Thursday, closing an airport and urging residents to leave their homes due to the dangers posed by spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds, and the looming threat of a tsunami.
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation raised its alert level to the highest, signaling an active eruption. Continuous emission of white-gray smoke from the crater reached over 500 meters (1,600 feet) above the peak throughout Thursday.
Approximately 11,000 people residing in the affected area have been instructed to maintain a distance of at least 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the 725-meter (2,378-foot) mountain. So far, around 800 individuals have complied with the evacuation order.
In response to the volcanic activity, Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado city was temporarily shut down on Thursday as volcanic ash blanketed the airspace.
“We have to close flight operations at Sam Ratulangi Airport due to the spread of volcanic ash, which could endanger flight safety,” stated Ambar Suryoko, head of the regional airport authority.
Eruptions on Wednesday evening propelled volcanic ash approximately 70,000 feet into the atmosphere, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. The bureau is closely monitoring and forecasting the dispersion of ash.
Indonesia’s volcanology center highlighted the potential risks associated with the eruption, including the possibility of a volcanic collapse into the sea, which could trigger a tsunami. The memory of the devastating 2018 tsunami triggered by the Anak Krakatau eruption remains fresh, claiming over 400 lives. Similarly, an 1871 eruption at Mount Ruang led to a tsunami.
Residents of Tagulandang Island, situated east of Mount Ruang, are also on high alert. Abdul Muhari, spokesperson of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, emphasized the need for immediate evacuation for those within a 6-kilometer radius.
“People who live in the Tagulandang Island area and are within a 6-kilometer radius must be immediately evacuated to a safe place outside the 6-kilometer radius,” said Muhari.
Efforts are underway to relocate affected residents to Manado, the nearest city on Sulawesi island, which is approximately a six-hour boat journey away.
Indonesia, with its 120 active volcanoes, is constantly grappling with volcanic activity due to its location along the “Ring of Fire,” a zone of intense seismic activity encircling the Pacific Ocean.
