Indonesian authorities have sounded the tsunami alarm after a series of major eruptions at Ruang mountain, with ash clouds reaching thousands of feet into the sky. Over 11,000 locals have been instructed to evacuate the danger zone.
The volcano, situated on Sulawesi island's northern flank, has experienced no less than five significant eruptions within the last day, as reported by Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation. The alert level for the volcano has been escalated to the maximum.
By Wednesday morning, at least 800 people had already vacated the vicinity.
Home to 270million individuals, Indonesia's vast archipelago boasts 120 active volcanoes, largely due to its position on the "Ring of Fire," a Pacific Ocean region known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Officials are advising both tourists and residents to maintain a distance of at least 6 kilometers (about 3.7 miles) from the 725-meter-tall (2,378-foot) Ruang volcano.
There is growing concern among authorities that a segment of the volcano might tumble into the ocean, potentially triggering a tsunami similar to the catastrophic event following the 1871 eruption.
Tagulandang island, located northeast of the volcano, is once again under threat, with its inhabitants being some of those ordered to leave.
According to Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency, evacuees will be relocated to Manado, the closest city on Sulawesi island, which is six hours away by boat.
Back in 2018, the eruption of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano triggered a tsunami along the coasts of Sumatra and Java when parts of the mountain collapsed into the ocean, resulting in the tragic loss of 430 lives.