Indonesia's Ruang volcano spewed explosive incandescent lava into the night sky early on Tuesday as lightning flashes lit up its crater, prompting authorities to raise the alert status and warn of a possible tsunami.
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) warned residents living on Tagulandang island, which is the closest to the volcano, that volcanic material collapsing into the ocean could trigger a tsunami.
The warning was issued on Tuesday morning, with PVMBG official Hetty Triastuty saying it remained in place as of the afternoon.
The agency raised the alert status of Ruang to the highest level following the early morning eruption, urging residents not to go near the volcano.
An eruption from Indonesia's Ruang volcano is seen from Tagulandang island in Sitaro, North Sulawesi, April 30, 2024. /CFP
Tuesday's eruption follows a series of eruptions earlier this month that forced hundreds to evacuate and the airport in the provincial capital of Manado to close. That eruption also damaged some homes. At the time, the volcanology center also issued a warning about the potential for a tsunami.
Footage shared by Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency showed lightning strikes flashing above Ruang's crater as fiery red clouds of lava and rocks were projected into the air and rained down around the island.
The agency said the eruption column reached 5 kilometers high and urged any remaining residents within a 7-kilometer, previously 6-km, radius to immediately evacuate, warning of possible further "explosive eruptions."
Ruang island is about 100 km from Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province in the north-central region of the sprawling Indonesian archipelago. It's home to more than 800 residents, most of whom evacuated following the recent eruptions.
The eruption corresponded with a spike in seismic activity and deep volcanic earthquakes, the disaster agency said.
Authorities closed Manado's Sam Ratulangi airport again on Tuesday, citing the possible spread of volcanic ash, the airport operator said in an Instagram post. The airport will remain closed until noon on Wednesday, the transport ministry said.
Authorities downgraded the status level to level 3 last week before bumping it up again to level 4 on Tuesday.
Indonesia straddles the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of high seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates meet.