Indonesian Mount Ruang Volcano Erupts, Posing A Tsunami Threat

On Tuesday, Mount Ruang, an Indonesian volcano erupted several times, prompting authorities to issue the highest level of alert and ordering thousands of residents to evacuate due to the threat of a tsunami from debris sliding into the sea.

The country’s volcanology agency warned that the volcano’s threat was far from finished after it erupted more than half a dozen times this month, forcing more than 6,000 people to flee.

In a statement, the volcanology agency stated, “Ruang, located in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, erupted at around 01:15 a.m. local time on Tuesday (1715 GMT Monday), followed by two other eruptions that morning”.

It went on to say, “The volcano sent a tower of ash more than five kilometres (3.1 miles) into the sky, as well as a fiery column of lava”.

According to the national disaster agency BNPB, 11,000 to 12,000 people had to be relocated from the area surrounding Ruang’s crater.

The agency posted images of a molten red column bursting into the sky, a massive ash cloud spilling from the crater, and flaming embers near neighboring houses.

The disaster agency issued a seven kilometres exclusion zone around Mount Ruang after volcanology officials warned locals of the potential for ejections of incandescent rocks, hot clouds, and tsunamis due to eruption material entering the sea.

Because of the tsunami threat, spokesman Abdul Muhari said a rescue ship and a warship had been dispatched to assist in moving thousands from neighboring Tagulandang island north to Siau island.

“We urge people in Tagulandang island to stay away from coastal areas, to be on alert for the potential of a tsunami to occur”, Abdul added, citing an 1871 wave that killed approximately 400 people as volcanic debris fell into the sea.

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