Indonesian authorities took action on Thursday, shutting down a provincial airport and evacuating hundreds of people from the vicinity of the Ruang volcano eruption . This decision came after the volcano had been belching explosive plumes of lava, rocks, and ash for several days. The situation escalated dramatically on Wednesday when the volcano, situated on a remote island in the province of North Sulawesi, erupted, sending a fiery-red column of lava, incandescent rock, and ash soaring as much as three kilometers (about two miles) into the sky.
Videos circulating on social media captured the intense spectacle, showing purple flashes of lightning illuminating the sky above the erupting volcano. One witness, filming the eruption, expressed urgency, saying, “We’re running, guys. We are escaping because the ash is coming close.”
Following the Indonesian volcano eruption , authorities evacuated more than 800 people from the area. As the volcanology agency raised the alert status, authorities widened the evacuation zone further. “The potential for further eruption is still high, so we need to remain alert,” stated Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari, an official from the agency, addressing reporters on Thursday. She attributed the rapid escalation in volcanic activity as the reason for this alert.
Additionally, the agency received reports of falling rocks and ash damaging homes and forcing a nearby hospital to evacuate. In response to the threat posed by the showers of ash from the eruption, transport authorities decided to shut down the airport in the provincial capital of Manado.