Indonesia shut a provincial airport and evacuated hundreds of people from the vicinity of the Ruang volcano after it belched explosive plumes of lava, rocks and ash for days, officials said on Thursday, declaring the highest alert on the situation.
Wednesday’s dramatic eruption of the volcano on a remote island in the province of North Sulawesi threw a fiery-red column of lava, incandescent rock and ash as much as three km (two miles) into the sky.
Purple flashes of lightning rent the sky above the erupting volcano, videos on social media showed.
“We’re running, guys,” said one witness who filmed the eruption while scrambling to evacuate. “We are escaping because the ash is coming close.”
More than 800 people were evacuated from the area, with authorities widening the evacuation zone further after the volcanology agency raised the alert status.
The Indonesian government, along with local authorities and disaster response agencies, actively monitors the situation. They provide assistance to affected communities, ensuring support reaches those in need. Efforts are underway to assess the extent of the damage caused by the eruption. Additionally, measures are being implemented to mitigate its impact on livelihoods and infrastructure. Despite the challenges posed by the Indonesian volcano eruption, the resilience of the Indonesian people shines through. Together, they work to overcome this natural disaster with solidarity.
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