Topline
Indonesian authorities ordered the evacuation of thousands of people on Thursday after the Ruang volcano in the country’s North Sulawesi province erupted multiple times, triggering a tsunami warning and blankets of falling volcanic ash and rocks.
Hot molten lava glows at the crater of Mount Ruang as it erupts in Sanguine Islands, Indonesia
Key Facts
Ruang has erupted at least five times in the previous 24 hours, according to Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, which raised its alert level to 4, the highest stage.
The repeated explosions have raised concerns about a portion of the volcano collapsing into the sea and triggering a tsunami.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of more than 11,000 people from areas surrounding the volcano, including parts of the nearby Tagulandang island, which is home to more than 22,000 people.
Tourists and residents have been asked to remain alert and not enter a 6 km radius around the volcano’s active crater, while at least 800 people located closest to the volcano have already been relocated.
The nearest international airport in the city of Manado has been shut down for 24 hours, as large columns of smoke and ash continued to billow from the volcano.
Tangent
Concerns about the volcano triggering a tsunami are linked to a major eruption of Ruang in 1871. A partial collapse of the volcano’s lava dome after that eruption led to a tsunami that killed at least 400 and caused major destruction on Tagulandang island. The 2018 eruption of the Anak Krakatoa volcano also led to a partial collapse, triggering a tsunami that killed at least 426 people and injured over 14,000.
Key Background
The Indonesian archipelago is located in a highly active seismic zone known as the Ring of Fire, making it prone to volcanoes and earthquakes. The most recent major volcanic event in the region was the eruption of Mount Marapi in December, which killed 24 people. In 2021, the eruption of Mount Semeru in the East Java province claimed 69 lives and forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people.
Further Reading
Thousands evacuated as Indonesia volcano erupts, causes tsunami threat (AFP)
