Indonesia Evacuating Thousands After Volcano Erupts, Causing Tsunami Threat

Indonesian rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people Thursday after a volcano erupted five times, forcing authorities to close a nearby airport and issue a warning that the crater collapsing into the sea could cause a tsunami

Manado, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Apr, 2024) Indonesian rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people Thursday after a volcano erupted five times, forcing authorities to close a nearby airport and issue a warning that the crater collapsing into the sea could cause a tsunami.

Mount Ruang's crater flamed with lava against a backdrop of lightning bolts overnight after eruptions pushed an ash column more than a mile into the sky and forced authorities to raise their alert to the highest level of a four-tiered system.

Taka, a local fisherman who only gave one name, was at sea helping people to safety by boat when the crater unleashed a fiery orange column.

"There was a mix of fire and rocks. Lava flowed in various directions," he told AFP.

The volcano sits on a remote island in Indonesia's outermost region and has a peak 725 metres (2,380 feet) above sea level. It was still billowing a column of smoke up to 800 metres high on Thursday morning, officials said.