Indonesia to permanently relocate nearly 10,000 people after Ruang volcano eruptions

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government will permanently relocate almost 10,000 residents after a series of explosive eruptions of the Ruang volcano

raised concerns about the dangers

of residing on the island in future, a minister said on May 3.

About 9,800 people live on Ruang island in the province of North Sulawesi, but in recent weeks, all residents have been forced to evacuate after the mountain continued to spew incandescent lava and columns of ash kilometres into the sky.

The authorities this week raised the alert status of the volcano to the highest level, closed the provincial airport in Manado, and warned of a possible tsunami if parts of the mountain collapse into the surrounding waters.

Hundreds of “simple but permanent” homes would be built in the Bolaang Mongondow area to facilitate the relocations, said Coordinating Minister for Human Development Muhadjir Effendy, after a Cabinet meeting to discuss the volcano on May 3.

“As instructed by President Joko Widodo, we will build houses that meet disaster standards,” he said, adding that the site was located about 200km from Ruang island.

Mount Ruang began to dramatically erupt in mid-April, with experts saying the eruptions were triggered by increased seismic activity, including deep sea earthquakes.

The mountain erupted again on April 30, causing damage to some homes and forcing residents to evacuate from Tagulandang island, where they had initially sought refuge, to the provincial capital of Manado.

Roads and buildings on Tagulandang were blanketed in a thick layer of volcanic ash, and the roofs of some homes had collapsed, according to a Reuters witness.

The volcano had not erupted on May 3 but Manado’s Sam Ratulangi Airport remained closed until the evening due to the spread of volcanic ash.

Indonesia straddles the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire”, an area of high seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates meet. REUTERS