Indonesia’s Ruang volcano erupted again on Friday, spewing large amounts of ash. Thousands of people have already been moved to safety due to the Ruang eruptions that started on Tuesday. A thunderstorm occurred on Wednesday evening, releasing a cloud of ash (see video above).
The highest warning level of four remained in force on Friday. Residents of the neighboring island of Tagulandang were still warned of the risk of a tsunami caused by masses of lava and rocks ejected from the volcano. Local authorities initially said on Friday that the Ruang had calmed down, but that the danger had not yet been averted.
A few hours later the volcano again emitted large amounts of ash. According to the Indonesian Volcanology Agency, the ash cloud rose 400 meters above the crater. Residents were asked to wear protective masks to avoid respiratory problems.
Soldiers and police help islanders
Riko, 30, who lives on neighboring Tagulandang island, said he was “surprised” by the new eruption. “We are scared,” he reported. Before the new eruption, hundreds of Tagulandang residents on Friday began clearing debris that had fallen on their villages in recent days. As a reporter from the AFP news agency reported, the islanders were supported by soldiers and police.
Islander Herman Sahoa, 64, said debris ejected by the volcano damaged the roof of his home. “We really need tarpaulins as soon as possible so we can close the leaking roof,” he told AFP. The electricity supply was also paralyzed on parts of the island.
Since Tuesday evening (local time), Ruang in northeastern Indonesia has erupted about six times in 24 hours. A column of smoke hundreds of meters high rose above the crater and lava flowed down the slopes.
The Ruang is located on a small island not far from Tagulandang, where about 20,000 people live. More than 6,000 of them were moved to safety on the side of the island away from the volcano, Joikson Sagunde of the local disaster management agency said Friday. There were initially no injuries.
The tsunami warning remained in force for the time being
An exclusion zone has been established within a six-kilometer radius of the Ruang. A warning that large amounts of lava and rocks ejected from the volcano could trigger a tsunami remained in effect Friday.
Due to the volcanic eruptions, the international airport in the city of Manado, more than 100 kilometers away, was also closed. According to the National Disaster Management Agency, flight operations should not resume before Friday evening.
Southeast Asian Indonesia, with its more than 17,000 islands, is located on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where several plates collide. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common there.
Source: Krone
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