Over 11000 people evacuated as volcano erupts in northern Indonesia

More than 11,000 residents have been forced to flee following a volcanic eruption in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, as reported by Al Jazeera on Thursday. Mount Ruang first erupted at 9:45 pm local time on Tuesday, followed by subsequent eruptions on Wednesday. The Indonesian volcanology agency has raised the alert to the highest level and widened the exclusion zone surrounding the volcano from four to six kilometers.

The initial evacuation moved over 800 people to nearby Tagulandang Island, located over 100 kilometers north of Manado, the provincial capital. With the expansion of the danger zone, additional evacuations are underway to relocate residents to safer areas in Manado.

Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the national disaster agency, emphasized the urgency of relocating 11,615 people from the at-risk areas. There are also fears that part of the volcano might collapse into the sea, potentially triggering a tsunami as it did in the 1871 eruption.

Compounding the crisis, Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado has been closed until at least Thursday evening due to volcanic ash clouds, posing a risk to flight safety. The airport is a hub for international flights, including routes to South Korea, China, and Singapore. Nearby, flights at Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Malaysia have also experienced significant disruptions. This escalation in volcanic activity follows two recent earthquakes, highlighting a period of heightened geological unrest.