Indonesia's Ruang Volcano Erupts causing huge Spewing Ashes

On April 29, 2024, the Ruang volcano in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province erupted, spewing ash and lava. The country's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) raised the alert level to the highest, urging residents to stay away from the volcano.

The island of Ruang, home to over 800 people, had already seen hundreds evacuated following a similar eruption earlier in the month. Footage on social media showed lava flowing down the volcano, which is about 100 km from the provincial capital Manado.

The eruption led to the temporary closure of Manado's airport, and falling rocks and ash damaged homes and forced a nearby hospital to evacuate. Authorities had previously downgraded the status level before raising it again to the highest level on Tuesday.

Indonesia is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of high seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates meet. The eruption has prompted the evacuation of more than 11,000 people living near the volcano.

Why this matters: The eruption of Ruang volcano highlights the ongoing threat posed by Indonesia's numerous active volcanoes. As one of the most volcanically active countries in the world, Indonesia must remain vigilant and prepared to respond to eruptions to ensure the safety of its citizens.

The Indonesian government is preparing a relocation site for residents of Ruang Island affected by the eruption. The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing will construct the relocation site in Tagulandang Sub-district, Sitaro Islands District, with the regional government providing seven hectares of land. "Evacuated residents have requested to be relocated to a nearby area," said a local official. The Volcano Monitoring and Land Movement Disaster Mitigation Center for Sulawesi and Maluku has reported that the volcanic seismicity of Mount Ruang is showing a decreasing trend, with the status currently at Level III.

Key Takeaways

• Ruang volcano in Indonesia erupted on April 30, 2024, prompting evacuation of 11,000 people.
• Eruption led to airport closure, damaged homes, and forced hospital evacuation near the volcano.
• Indonesia raised the alert level to the highest, urging residents to stay away from Ruang.
• Government preparing relocation site for affected residents of Ruang Island in nearby area.
• Volcanic seismicity at Ruang showing decreasing trend, with status currently at Level III.