Mount Ruang volcano in Indonesia has been causing disruptions after spewing hot clouds following an eruption on Wednesday. The eruption led to the closure of schools and airports, with villages being pelted with volcanic debris and hundreds of people forced to flee the area.
Seven airports, including the Sam Ratulangi international airport in Manado, had to remain closed due to the eruption, which was the second in two weeks. Schools were shut down to ensure the safety of children from the volcanic ash.
The volcano is located on tiny Ruang Island, part of the Sitaro islands chain. The Indonesian geological agency has advised people to stay at least 4 miles away from the volcano's crater. Residents of nearby Tagulandang Island were warned about potential super-heated volcanic clouds from a further eruption and the risk of a tsunami if the volcano's dome collapses into the sea.
Video footage released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed around a hundred villagers from Tagulandang Island being evacuated on a navy ship, with hundreds more waiting at a local port for evacuation.
Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari mentioned that 11,000 to 12,000 people living within a 4-mile danger zone would be relocated to government shelters. Despite the eruption on Tuesday darkening the sky and covering several villages with ash, grit, and rocks, no casualties were reported.
Authorities had previously warned after the April 17 eruption that a subsequent eruption could potentially lead to a collapse of part of the volcano into the sea. Mount Ruang is one of approximately 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a country known for its susceptibility to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire,' a region with a high concentration of fault lines stretching from the western coast of the Americas through Japan and Southeast Asia.
