This week, additional evacuation orders, airline cancellations, and airport closures were issued when a remote Indonesian volcano erupted again, spewing smoke, lava, and volcanic gases.
Mount Ruang, a 725-meter (2,400-foot) volcano on Ruang Island in North Sulawesi, has been erupting in spectacular fashion on and off since mid-April, posing a rising hazard to local residents and air traffic in the area.
The volcano erupted three times on Tuesday, spewing lava and ash clouds into the sky and causing Indonesia’s national PVMBG volcanology agency to issue its highest alert, warning that a tsunami might be produced by “volcanic material collapsing into the ocean.”
Ruang is located close off the shore of the bigger Tagulandang island, where officials have ordered more than 12,000 residents to evacuate, according to Reuters.
The National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) posted footage on Thursday showing massive throngs awaiting evacuation at ports and towering ash clouds.
PVMBG upped the alert level on Tuesday, warning of “new eruptions and continuous earthquakes” and urging the public to use protective masks and take care.
The newest eruptions have also prompted the closure of at least seven airports in the area, including the Sam Ratulangi International Airport, which serves the city of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province and a popular scuba diving destination.
Nearby schools have also been closed to safeguard students from volcanic ash, according to the BNPB. The BNPB published dramatic images on Thursday showing ash pouring into the air.
Mount Ruang is a stratovolcano that is often conical and steep-sided as a result of the development of viscous, sticky lava that does not flow readily. Stratovolcanoes frequently cause explosive eruptions due to gas buildup in the magma, according to volcanologists.
According to Malaysia’s meteorology bureau, volcanic ash from Ruang has entered eastern Malaysia’s airspace. “We are continuously monitoring the volcanic dust movements and will update the information and issue aviation weather warnings if necessary,” Met Malaysia chief Muhammad Helmi Abdullah stated.
Air Asia, a regional carrier, said it canceled 21 flights following Mount Ruang’s latest eruption.
“Guests traveling to and from affected destinations (between Malaysia and Indonesia) are encouraged to check their email and phones for cancellation notifications,” a statement from the airline said.
“Air Asia is continuing to monitor the situation closely and will provide more information on the latest developments.”
Malaysia Airlines, Malaysia’s main airline, issued similar travel cautions on Wednesday following the cancellation of multiple flights in the area.
Indonesia, a Southeast Asian archipelago of 270 million people, is located in the Ring of Fire and boasts more than 120 active volcanoes, the most in the world.
Mount Ruang previously erupted in April, interrupting almost 200 flights on April 18 and 19, affecting tens of thousands of people, according to authorities.
Hundreds of people living near the volcano were evacuated for concern that it may partially fall into the sea, causing a tsunami, as it did in 1871.
