Ambar Suryoko, head of the airport authority office, stated that the closure was necessary to ensure flight safety, with Mount Ruang located over 100 kilometers away.
On Wednesday, the volcano erupted spectacularly, sending a fiery-red column of lava, incandescent rock, and ash up to three kilometers into the sky. Social media videos captured the dramatic event, with one witness exclaiming, “We’re running, guys,” as they fled from the approaching ash.
More than 800 people have been evacuated, and authorities have expanded the evacuation zone following the volcanology agency’s decision to raise the alert status. Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari, an agency official, emphasized the need for continued vigilance, stating, “The potential for further eruption is still high, so we need to remain alert.” The agency also received reports of falling rocks and ash damaging homes and forcing a nearby hospital to evacuate.
The airport in Manado, the provincial capital, has been closed to protect against the ash showers from the eruption. Air Asia, a budget airline, has cancelled flights to nine airports in East Malaysia and Brunei due to the safety threat warned by aviation authorities.
Officials have established a six-kilometer cordon around the volcano and are evacuating more residents, including some from the neighboring island of Tagulandang. Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the disaster mitigation agency, stated that approximately 1,500 people in high-risk areas require immediate evacuation, while nearly 12,000 more may be affected.
Furthermore, officials have warned of the potential risk of a tsunami if parts of the mountain collapse into the ocean below. In 1871, a previous eruption of the Ruang volcano triggered a tsunami that claimed the lives of about 400 people.