ANADO, Indonesia (AP) — Mount Ruang volcano in Indonesia erupted once again on Tuesday, marking its second eruption in two weeks. The eruption sent ash soaring nearly 2 kilometers (more than a mile) into the sky, leading to the closure of an airport and the scattering of debris in nearby villages.
The Indonesian geological service raised the volcano's alert level to the highest after detecting increased volcanic activity. Residents and climbers were advised to maintain a safe distance of at least 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the crater of the volcano. Located in North Sulawesi province, the 725-meter (2,378-foot) volcano is about 95 kilometers (59 miles) northeast of Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, the provincial capital.
Due to reduced visibility and the risk posed to aircraft engines by ash, the airport was closed on Tuesday morning, according to Ambar Suryoko, head of the regional airport authority. Ash, grit, and rocks fell from the sky in towns and cities across the region, including Manado, where motorists had to use headlights during the daytime.
Yulius Ramopolii, the head of the Mount Ruang monitoring post, described the scene: "It was dark with rocks raining at the post from the eruption. The vibrations were intense and knocked out power, and volcanic earthquakes shook the glass windows and everything around us." He added that the eruption blocked out the sun and scattered debris in several villages. However, there have been no reports of casualties.
The Indonesian geological agency also issued a warning to people on Tagulandang Island, particularly those living near the coast, about the potential for hot volcanic clouds and a tsunami due to eruptions of material entering the sea or the collapse of the volcanic dome into the sea.
Mount Ruang is one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a country prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" — a series of fault lines stretching from the western coasts of the Americas through Japan and Southeast Asia._
Associated Press writers Niniek Karmini and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta contributed to this report.