Over 2,100 people were evacuated from near an erupting volcano on Sulawesi Island in Indonesia due to dangerous conditions including spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds, and the potential for a tsunami. The volcano, Mount Ruang, has seen multiple eruptions with ash reaching heights of 1,200 meters. The international airport in Manado city remains closed temporarily due to the ash in the air.
Satellite imagery shows the ash spreading to different directions, leading to concerns about flight safety. More than 11,000 people were urged to leave their homes in the affected area, with a joint effort by local authorities to evacuate residents to safer locations by boat. There are worries about potential tsunamis and the collapse of part of the volcano into the sea.
Houses, roads, and buildings have been covered in ash and debris from the eruptions. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has issued the highest level of alert and residents are advised to stay at least 6 kilometers away from the volcano. Tagulandang Island, east of Mount Ruang, is also at risk and residents there are being relocated to Manado.
Indonesia, known for its volcanic activity, has 120 active volcanoes and is situated along the “Ring of Fire,” a region with numerous seismic fault lines in the Pacific Ocean.
