Ruang Volcano Erupts in Indonesia's North Sulawesi, Residents Evacuated

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has raised the alert level of Mount Ruang in Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi to level IV, the highest of a four-tier scale.

"Since 09:00 p.m. local time, Mount Ruang’s volcanic alert level has risen with a radius of 6 kilometers," said PVMBG Head Hendra Gunawan in an online press conference on Wednesday evening.

According to Hendra, the number of volcanic earthquakes surpassed 400 since Wednesday morning, and eruptions in the form of lava bursts and hot clouds occurred throughout the afternoon, reaching 3 kilometers in height. Therefore, he said, the volcanic alert level for Mount Ruang was raised from level III to level IV. 

He also highlighted Mount Ruang’s eruptions which typically have uncertain time intervals but with the same explosive hot clouds and tsunamis. Hendra said the tsunami and eruption historically took many lives of the surrounding residents. Thus, the government and local residents must handle the situation by evacuation.

"People must be evacuated, especially those on the west coast of Tagulandang Island to avoid tsunamis and hot clouds. The recommended distance of 6 kilometers has included the west coast of Tagulandang and even several hundred meters into the island," he said.

Based on reports from the PVMBG team in North Sulawesi, some residents have been hit by rockfalls that have caused light injuries on their heads. "But this shows that the eruption has become more intense since this afternoon," said Hendra.

On the same occasion, the Head of the Disaster Information and Communication Data Center of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Abdul Muhari said that the alert level on Mount Ruang was raised out of emergency.  "This certainly implies that this area [6-kilometer radius from the volcano] must be vacated as soon as possible," he said.

Previously, on Tuesday afternoon, April 16, 2024, PVMBG raised the alert level of Mount Ruang from Level II to Level III. On Tuesday morning, the geological team found crater smoke with a height of 200-500 meters from the top of the mountain. 

According to the records of the Geological Agency during the first half of this month, there were 210 deep volcanic earthquakes on Mount Ruang. There were also 3 local tectonic earthquakes, 163 distant tectonic earthquakes, and 2 shocks with a scale of I MMI. The seismic activity of Mount Ruang increased significantly compared to March 2024.

BAGUS PRIBADI

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