Indonesian authorities have taken significant steps in response to the recent eruption of Mount Ruang near Manado, Indonesia. The Sam Ratulangi airport, which had been closed since Thursday due to the volcanic activity, has now been reopened as the alert level for the volcano was lowered from four to three on Monday.
Despite the downgrade in the alert level, residents are still advised to maintain a safe distance of at least 4 kilometers from the volcano. Over 3,000 residents have been evacuated from the area since Thursday to ensure their safety from potential hazards such as ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds, and the risk of a tsunami.
A coordinated effort by local authorities involved the evacuation of residents from surrounding villages using boats. The ongoing danger posed by the volcano includes the potential for small-scale eruptions, which could lead to rock slides and other forms of damage in the immediate vicinity.
The decision to reopen the airport was made after satellite imagery indicated that rain had cleared the volcanic ash from the tarmac, making it safe for operations to resume. Indonesia, with its vast archipelago and a population of 270 million people, is home to 120 active volcanoes. The country's susceptibility to volcanic activity is attributed to its location along the 'Ring of Fire,' a region characterized by a series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Ocean.
