Officials warn of tsunami risk after Indonesia volcano erupts multiple times
Airport service has been stopped, people have been evacuated and officials are warning of a tsunami risk after a series of violent eruptions this week from an Indonesian volcano.
The 750-foot Ruang volcano, located on a remote island in the province of North Sulawesi in Indonesia has erupted multiples times since Tuesday, spewing columns of lava, rock and ash as far as two miles into the sky, according to Reuters.
Indonesia, a country in Southeast Asia located between the Indian and Pacific oceans consisting of over 17,000 islands, is the fourth-largest country in the world by population and the most populous Muslim-majority country.
Tsunami warning issued for fears of volcano collapse
Officials said the volcano alert had been raised to the highest level Wednesday, and warned people to not go within roughly 4 miles of the peak due to fears part of the volcano could collapse into the water and trigger a tsunami.
The volcano previously erupted and collapsed into the water in 1871, which killed roughly 400 people.
Over 800 local residents have been evacuated, including hundreds from the Laingpatehi and Pumpente villages, Indonesia's disaster agency BNPB announced. More than 11,000 others were also told to evacuate, the Associated Press reported.
An airport in the provincial capital of Manado was shut down to protect against showers of ash from the volcano's eruption, and Indonesia's volcano agency evacuated a nearby hospital after receiving reports of falling rocks and homes damaged by ash.
As of Thursday, no casualties have been reported.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Indonesia volcano: Ruang erupts, triggering tsunami warnings
