World News

Indonesia's Ruang volcano evacuates over 800 people after erupting hot clouds

In Indonesia, a volcano in the North Sulawesi Province erupted multiple times on Tuesday, evacuating hundreds of people.

 

Mount Ruang, situated on Ruang island, approximately 100 kilometres from the provincial capital, Manado, experienced eruptions at 9.45 pm (local time) on Tuesday and twice during the early hours of Wednesday.

 

An eruption occurred, ejecting lava and explosive hot clouds into the sky.

 

Authorities evacuated over 800 individuals from the affected area.

 

The eruption has caused concern among locals and authorities as ash and smoke fill the sky. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been monitoring the situation closely. 

 

The volcano's eruption reminds us of the unpredictable nature of these natural phenomena and the potential risks they pose to nearby communities.

 

An official at Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has informed Reuters that the alert level has been raised to the second highest due to the recent surge in volcanic activity.

 

The recent earthquakes on the island were responsible for the eruptions of Mt Ruang. 

 

The island is being cleared as a precautionary measure due to the possibility of further eruptions.

 

Authorities have prohibited activities within a 4-kilometre distance from the crater.

 

No deaths or injuries have been reported thus far, but residents from two villages were evacuated to the nearby Island of Tagulandang.

 

Ruang Island is inhabited by approximately 838 residents.

 

According to the geological agency, the first eruption on Tuesday caused an ash column to reach a height of 2km, while the second eruption pushed it even higher to 2.5km.

 

Indonesia, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, boasts 142 volcanoes. It is also home to the largest population in the world living near a volcano: approximately 8.6 million Indonesians reside within a 10-kilometre radius of a volcano.

 

In January, many individuals were compelled to evacuate following the eruption of Mount Merapi, the nation's most active volcano.