Indonesia: Ruang volcano's eruption forces 11,000 people to evacuate

The Ruang volcano in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province erupted again on April 20 with a 250m high column of ash, forcing Sam Ratulangi International Airport near the volcano to close and 11,000 people living in the affected area to evacuate.

Indonesia's volcanology agency warned that major eruptions were still possible, after the volcano erupted several times this week.

With earthquakes and volcanic eruptions already recorded, this crisis is not over, said agency head Hendra Gunawan. The magma flow is still moving from underground to the surface. Therefore, it is not surprising if eruptions still occur, Gunawan added.

The agency recommended that people wear masks to avoid respiratory problems.

Ruang volcano, 725m high above sea level, is currently the only volcano among the more than 100 Indonesian ones placed at the highest warning level in the 4-level warning system. Local authorities have stipulated a restricted zone within 6 km around this volcano.

Indonesia is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the “Ring of Fire”, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean./.

VNA