Indonesian authorities have raised a tsunami alert following a series of powerful eruptions at the Ruang volcano on the northern side of Sulawesi island. With ash reaching thousands of feet into the sky and at least five major eruptions in the past 24 hours, the volcano has prompted the evacuation of over 11,000 people.
The warnings come as the volcano’s alert level has been elevated to its highest status, leading to the urgent evacuation of residents, with at least 800 leaving the area earlier on Wednesday. As a nation with 120 active volcanoes, Indonesia is particularly susceptible to such volcanic activities due to its location along the “Ring of Fire,” a zone of significant seismic fault lines surrounding the Pacific Ocean.
Authorities have stressed the importance of maintaining a significant distance from the 725-meter (2,378 foot) Ruang volcano, with concerns over the potential collapse of parts of the volcanic structure into the sea, possibly triggering a tsunami similar to the 1871 eruption.
The risk extends to Tagulandang island northeast of the volcano, where residents are now being urged to evacuate. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has outlined plans to relocate residents to Manado, the nearest city on Sulawesi island, a six-hour boat journey away.
These developments evoke memories of the devastating 2018 eruption of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano, which resulted in a tsunami along the coast of Sumatra and Java, claiming the lives of 430 individuals. The potential impact of volcanic eruptions on coastal areas emphasizes the critical need for effective monitoring and safeguarding measures.
The post “Indonesia’s Ruang Volcano Eruptions Trigger Tsunami Warning” first appeared on the Espana News Network.
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