MANADO (AFP) – Indonesian rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people on Thursday after a volcano erupted five times, forcing authorities to close a nearby airport and issue a warning about falling debris that could cause a tsunami.
The crater of Mount Ruang flamed with lava against a backdrop of lightning bolts overnight after erupting four times on Wednesday, forcing authorities to raise its alert level to the highest of a four-tiered system.
The volcano on a remote island in Indonesia’s outermost region was still billowing a column of smoke yesterday morning, prompting authorities to shut the nearest international airport in Manado city on Sulawesi island for 24 hours.
Houses on the neighbouring remote island of Tagulandang were riddled with holes from falling volcanic rocks, and residents were preparing to leave at least temporarily.
“The current condition, particularly the road condition, is covered by volcanic material,” local rescuer Ikram Al Ulah told AFP by phone from the Tagulandang seaport.
“Currently, many people are still wandering around. Maybe to evacuate precious goods from their house.”
Authorities said they were rushing to evacuate more than 11,000 residents from the area around Tagulandang, home to around 20,000 people. Some residents were already trying to flee in a panic, according to officials.
“Last night people evacuated on their own but without direction due to the volcano’s eruption and… small rocks that fell, so the people scattered to find evacuation routes,” local search and rescue agency official Jandry Paendong said in a statement on Thursday.
He said 20 staff were helping evacuate residents along the coastline near the volcano on rubber boats.
Authorities also evacuated a prison on Tagulandang island, ferrying 17 inmates along with 11 officials and 19 residents by boat to Likupang seaport in northern Sulawesi island, according to Ikram.
The evacuation was requested by the prison chief because the facility sits directly across from the volcano, said the rescuer.
