Thousands of Sulawesi residents have been told to leave their homes after the Ruang volcano erupted. The international airport also has to close temporarily due to the volcanic ash.
Ruand, a 725-meter-high volcano on the north side of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, has erupted at least five times in 24 hours, according to the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Management. Authorities fear part of the mountain could collapse into the sea and trigger a tsunami.
As a result, 11,000 people had to leave their homes, Sky News reports. They are taken to the nearest town, about a six-hour boat ride away. Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado also has to close, meaning nine flights have been canceled so far.
Ring of fire
Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million inhabitants, has 120 active volcanoes. It lies along the Ring of Fire, a series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.
In 2018, the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Anak Krakatau caused a tsunami along the coasts of Sumatra and Java after parts of the mountain fell into the ocean, killing 430 people.