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Manado: More than 2,100 people living near a volcanic eruption on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island were evacuated on Friday. This step has been taken due to fear of ash spreading, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and tsunami. Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation recorded at least three eruptions since Friday afternoon, with the maximum height of the eruption column reaching 1,200 meters (3,900 ft).
An international airport in the city of Manado, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Mount Ruang, was still temporarily closed as volcanic ash spread into the air. Satellite imagery from the Agency of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics shows that ash has spread to the west, north-west, north-east and south-east, including Manado and northern Minahasa, according to a statement from Indonesia’s Transport Ministry. Are included.
Amber Suryoko, head of the regional airport authority, said that we are still monitoring the developments of the eruption of Mount Ruang. Coordination is being done with relevant stakeholders to anticipate necessary actions to ensure flight safety, security and comfort. More than 11,000 people were asked to leave their homes located in the affected area.
A joint team of local officials searched the villages around the volcano and evacuated residents to safer areas by boat. Officials are concerned that part of the volcano could fall into the sea and cause a tsunami, as happened in the 1871 eruption there.
According to reports, houses, roads and other buildings in the area were covered with brown volcanic ash, and many roofs were broken by debris from the explosion. At least five major eruptions occurred at Mount Ruang on Wednesday, prompting the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation to issue the highest level of warning.
People were ordered to stay at least 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) away from the 725-metre (2,378 ft) mountain. The agency’s observation on Friday said white smoke was rising from the main crater with moderate to thick intensity. Eastern Tagulandang Island may be in danger if the volcano collapses. Its residents were among those asked to evacuate.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency said residents would be transferred to Manado, a 6-hour journey by boat. Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes. It is prone to volcanic activity because it lies along the ‘Ring of Fire’, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.
