Indonesia‘s Ruang volcano spectacularly erupted this morning, spewing explosive incandescent lava into the night sky and prompting authorities to warn of a possible tsunami.
Stunning footage shared by Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency showed strikes of lightning flashing above Ruang’s crater, as fiery red clouds of lava and rocks were projected into the air and rained down around the island.
The agency said the eruption column reached three miles high, and urged any remaining residents within a four-mile radius to immediately evacuate, warning of possible further ‘explosive eruptions’.
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) also warned residents living on Tagulandang island – the island closest to the volcano – that a tsunami could be triggered by volcanic material collapsing into the ocean.
The warning was issued on Tuesday morning, with PVMBG official Hetty Triastuty saying it remained in place as of the afternoon.
Indonesia straddles the so-called ‘Pacific Ring of Fire,’ an area of high seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates meet.
Ruang is just one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, with an increase in seismic activity sparking fears that other craters could be disturbed.
Ash, grit and rock fell from the sky in towns and cities across the region, including Manado, where motorists had to switch on their headlights during the daytime following the early-morning eruption.
‘It was dark with rocks raining at the post from the eruption,’ said Yulius Ramopolii, head of the Mount Ruang monitoring post.
‘The vibrations were intense and knocked out power, and volcanic earthquakes shook the glass windows and everything around us.’
He said the eruption blocked the sun and peppered several villages with falling debris.
One clip circulating on social media appeared to show small houses smouldering after being hit by the debris – though no casualties have yet been reported.
Ruang island is about 60 miles from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province in the north-central region of the sprawling Indonesian archipelago.
