|
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG)
had warned the residents of Tagulandang island that a tsunami
could be triggered by volcanic material collapsing into the
ocean.
The warning, issued on Tuesday morning, remained in placed as of
the afternoon.
The agency raised the alert status of Ruang to the highest level
following the early morning eruption, urging residents not to go
near the volcano.
Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said that all 843
residents living in Ruang island, where the volcano is located,
have been moved to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi
province. Residents of Tagulandang island are being relocated to
Siau island to the north.
The eruption follows a series of eruptions earlier this month
that forced hundreds to evacuate, and the airport in the
provincial capital of Manado to close. That eruption also caused
damage to some homes. At the time, the volcanology also issued a
warning about the potential for a tsunami.
Footage shared by Indonesia's disaster agency showed strikes of
lightning flashing above Ruang's crater, as fiery red clouds of
lava and rocks were projected into the air and rained down
around the island.
The volcanology agency said the eruption column reached 5
kilometers (3.1 miles) high, and urged any remaining residents
within a 7-km, previously 6-km, radius to immediately evacuate,
warning of possible further "explosive eruptions".
Ruang island is about 100 km from Manado, the capital of North
Sulawesi province in the north-central region of the sprawling
Indonesian archipelago.
The eruption corresponded with a spike in seismic activity and
deep volcanic earthquakes, the disaster agency said.
Authorities closed Manado's Sam Ratulangi airport again on
Tuesday, citing the possible spread of volcanic ash, the airport
operator said in an Instagram post. The airport will remain
closed until noon on Wednesday, the transport ministry said.
Authorities downgraded the status level to level 3 last week
before bumping it up again to level 4 on Tuesday.
Indonesia straddles the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire," an
area of high seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates
meet.
(Reporting by Stanley Widianto and Ananda Teresia; Writing by
Kate Lamb; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Christian Schmollinger and
Kim Coghill and Miral Fahmy)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
