Evacuations in Indonesia after volcanic eruption

In Indonesia, the Ruang volcano has erupted near the island of Sulawesi. Lava, smoke and rocks are becoming more and more of a problem for the region’s residents. There is still a tsunami warning.

They are shaky but spectacular images that residents capture on their cell phones from boats. The sky is black, with the volcano in front of it. He breathes fire into the air, lightning bolts make the scenario spooky. People should leave the area.

North Sulawesi is sparsely populated. Villages are reached by boat. Sometimes 20 people get on, sometimes 50. Young people carry old people who can no longer walk onto the rocking wooden boats. Taka is a local fisherman. He is helping to remove as many people as possible, he tells the AFP news agency.

boulders hit roofs

During the night, Taka watched as the volcano shot fire and rocks into the air. “They smashed into roofs. Lava poured down the mountain.” Normally the lava flows down the mountain from one direction. “This time it came from four or five directions,” reports the fisherman.

Daylight images show large clouds of smoke pouring out of the Ruang volcano. There is a small prison in North Sulawesi. That was also hit by pieces of rock. “Our team is evacuating the prison. There are 28 people, 11 staff. The rest are prisoners,” explains Ikram Al Ulah from the rescue service.

Rescuer: “People were panicking”

The Ruang is located on a small island. Around 20,000 people live on the neighboring island of Tagulandang. Chaos broke out on Thursday night when small pieces of rock fell from the sky, says Jandry Paendong from the local search and rescue authority. “The people fled on their own. They were panicking. We’re making sure no one is left behind.”

The nearest small airport is closed, even though it is more than 100 kilometers away. The runway is empty and dozens of travelers are stranded in the departure hall. According to the airport administration, there is too much volcanic ash in the air: “We have canceled 33 flights. This affects scheduled, charter and freight connections. More than 3,000 people are affected.”

Danger of a tsunami

Authorities warn of a possible tsunami. Danger doesn’t just come from the air. If the volcanic mass falls into the sea, it could trigger a huge wave. In 2018, an eruption from another volcano caused a tsunami. More than 400 people were killed.

There are currently no reports of injuries or even deaths, the damage appears clear. But people are worried. Southeast Asian Indonesia with its more than 17,000 islands lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire. Several earth plates collide there.