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Authorities call for vigilance amid heightened volcanic activity
The national volcanic center and disaster agency have called for increased vigilance among people living near active volcanoes, especially those designated either orange or yellow alert, as security forces assist in evacuations and delivering aid to people affected by Mount Ruang, which has been on red alert since April 17.
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Mount Ruang, located in the Sangihe Islands chain in North Sulawesi’s Siau Tagulandang Biaro (Sitaro) Islands regency, spews a column of ash as it erupts on April 19, 2024, as seen from neighboring Tagulandang Island. (Reuters/Chermanto Tjaombah )
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mid heightened activity at several volcanoes across the country, authorities have urged the public to stay vigilant about potential eruptions and to refer only to information from credible sources.
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) maintained on Saturday the level of Awas (warning) for Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi. Also known as a red alert, the center first imposed the highest level of the four-tier national alert system on the volcano after a series of eruptions on Wednesday.
Aside from Mt. Ruang, five other volcanoes still remain at the third-highest Siaga (watch; orange alert) level: Mt. Awu in North Sulawesi, Mt. Ile Lewotolok in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Mt. Marapi in West Sumatra, Mt. Merapi in Central Java and Mt. Semeru in East Java.
The CVGHM maintained the level of Waspada (advisory; yellow alert) for Mt. Gamalama in North Maluku, despite reports of increasing seismic activity at the stratovolcano.
“People living close to the mountains now in a critical state are to follow recommendations from officials,” CVGHM head Hendra Gunawan told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
For volcanoes with an Awas (red alert) designation, no visitors are allowed within a distance of 6 kilometers from the crater, while a Siaga (orange alert) designation means people are not allowed within a 5 km radius from the crater.
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