Thousands of people were evacuated by Indonesian rescuers on Thursday after a volcano erupted five times, forcing authorities to shut down a nearby airport and issue a warning about a possible tsunami threat. (Image: AFP)
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The crater of the Mount Ruang flamed with lava against a backdrop of lightning bolts overnight after erupting four times on Wednesday. (Image: AFP)
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The volcano in Indonesia’s outermost region was billowing a column of smoke even on Thursday morning, prompting authorities to shut the nearest international airport in Manado city on the Sulawesi island for 24 hours. (Image: AFP)
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Authorities said they were rushing to evacuate 11,000 residents from the nearby area that included the remote island of Tagulandang, home to around 20,000 people. (Image: AFP)
More than 800 people were initially taken to safety from Ruang to nearby Tagulandang island after the first eruption on Tuesday evening before four more eruptions on Wednesday. (Image: AFP)
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Authorities also warned of a possible tsunami as a result of the eruptions. (Image: AFP)
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In 2018, the crater of Mount Anak Krakatoa between Java and Sumatra islands partly collapsed when a major eruption sent huge chunks of the volcano sliding into the ocean, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 400 people and injured thousands. (Image: AFP)
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Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. (Image: AFP)
The impact of Mount Ruang’s eruption led to the closure of Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado city, located more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the volcano, for 24 hours until Thursday evening. (Image: AFP)
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The airport runways were shut due to the spread of volcanic ash which could endanger flight safety. All flights… impacted because the airport is affected by the eruption of Mount Ruang. (Image: AFP)
