Worry of partial collapse of erupting Indonesia's Mount Ruang raises concern of potential tsunami

Chris Oberholtz
·3 min read
3

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A volcano in Indonesia has recently experienced a series of powerful and explosive eruptions, prompting concerns of a potential tsunami.

Mount Ruang on Tagulandang Island, one of the Sangihe Islands located off the northern coast of Sulawesi, has erupted at least five times since Tuesday, the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia said. Lava has been spewing from the crater, as ash plumes are believed to have reached the stratosphere several miles into the sky. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries.

An infographic titled 'Mount Ruang erupts in Indonesia' created in Ankara, Turkiye on April 18, 2024.
Indonesian rescuers quickly worked to evacuate thousands of people following five eruptions of Mount Ruang. The nearby airport was closed, and authorities issued a warning about falling debris that could cause a tsunami.

On Thursday, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) raised the alert status of Mount Ruang to the highest level possible. This was due to a significant increase in both visual activity and seismicity.

INDONESIA'S RUANG VOLCANO ERUPTS AS HUNDREDS EVACUATED AMID SPEWING LAVA, ASH CLOUDS

The Sitaro Regency Government ordered the mandatory evacuation of 828 local residents to avoid the life-threatening situation.

"The static population count of residents in the location should be at least 11,000 people who need to evacuate temporarily," Abdul Muhari, the head of BNPB's Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, said in a virtual news conference early Thursday morning.

Officials are worried that a section of the volcano may collapse, causing a dangerous tsunami, which has occurred in the past. Those close to the shore have also been advised to remain vigilant of incandescent rocks erupting and hot clouds surging.

The port in Manado witnessed a flurry of activity Thursday morning as Indonesian military personnel were seen loading essential food items for evacuees and first responders onto a large ship before departing toward the active volcano site.

Indonesian military personnel load food items onto a ship as they head to the island near Mount Ruang volcano at the port in Manado, North Sulawesi, on April 18, 2024
Indonesian military personnel load food items onto a ship as they head to the island near Mount Ruang volcano at the port in Manado, North Sulawesi, on April 18, 2024

On Wednesday morning, Mount Ruang experienced more than 400 volcanic earthquakes and several eruptions throughout the evening. According to Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia's volcanology agency, these eruptions resulted in lava bursts or hot clouds reaching a height of nearly two miles.

Some airlines had to cancel their flights to nearby regions due to the distribution of volcanic ash. Fortunately, Malaysia Airlines was able to reinstate its flights on Thursday. AirAsia, on the other hand, said it will resume travel operations once the airspace is deemed safe.

Indonesia, located in Southeast Asia and Oceania, is known for straddling the "Pacific Ring of Fire." This region is characterized by intense seismic activity and rests atop multiple tectonic plates, including the Pacific Plate, the Philippine Plate and the Australian Plate.

The movement of these plates has led to numerous volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis throughout Indonesia's history.

Due to its location in this geologically active region, Indonesia is considered to be one of the most seismically active countries in the world, with a high risk of natural disasters.


Original article source: Worry of partial collapse of erupting Indonesia's Mount Ruang raises concern of potential tsunami