The Ruang volcano in Indonesia erupted on Tuesday, spewing lava as lightning flashes illuminated its crater, prompting authorities to raise the alert status and evacuate more than 12,000 people living on a nearby island.
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) had warned the residents of Tagulandang island about the potential for a tsunami triggered by volcanic material collapsing into the ocean. This warning, issued on Tuesday morning, remained in place into the afternoon.
Following the early morning eruption, the agency raised Ruang's alert status to the highest level, advising residents to stay away from the volcano. Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) reported that all 843 residents of Ruang island, where the volcano is located, have been relocated to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province. Residents of Tagulandang island are being moved to Siau island to the north.
This eruption comes after a series of eruptions earlier in the month that forced hundreds to evacuate and resulted in the closure of Manado's airport. Footage shared by Indonesia's disaster agency showed lightning strikes above Ruang's crater, with fiery red clouds of lava and rocks projected into the air and raining down around the island.
The volcanology agency stated that the eruption column reached a height of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) and urged any remaining residents within a 7-kilometer (previously 6-kilometer) radius to evacuate immediately, warning of possible further "explosive eruptions."
Ruang island is approximately 100 kilometers from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province. The eruption coincided with a spike in seismic activity and deep volcanic earthquakes, according to the disaster agency.
Authorities closed Sam Ratulangi airport in Manado once again on Tuesday due to the potential spread of volcanic ash, with the closure expected to last until noon on Wednesday, according to the transport ministry. The alert status was downgraded to level 3 last week before being raised again to level 4 on Tuesday.
Indonesia is situated on the "Pacific Ring of Fire," an area known for its high seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates meet.