"Report from the field informed that a fairly loud roar was heard from Tagulandang Island when Mount Ruang erupted this morning," Head of the Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, stated in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Apart from the vibrations, volcanic phenomena also occurred, such as the rain of volcanic material, ash, and gravel soaring into the sky from this morning at around 2:35 local time until this afternoon.
The rain of ash and gravel was reported to have a wider coverage as compared to the eruption that occurred on April 17, 2024, Muhari pointed out.
This was proven after the emergency response post in Apengsala Village, Tagulandang, located seven kilometers outside the Disaster Prone Area (KRB), was affected by this shower of stones and gravel.
Muhari remarked that for security and safety reasons, the authorities were forced to turn off the electricity network in Tagulandang.
"The joint team is still carrying out emergency response and rapid assessment due to this eruption and optimizing efforts to evacuate residents to safe places," he noted.
Earlier, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) officially raised the status of Mount Ruang, from level III (Alert) to level IV (Caution).
The increase in status was carried out after the stratovolcano erupted and released an eruption column reaching two thousand meters from the crater, accompanied by roaring sounds and continuous earthquakes.
The PVMBG also recommends immediate evacuation for residents within a radius of six kilometers from the center of the active crater of Mount Ruang, i.e., Tagulandang and its surroundings, where no activity is allowed.
This advice is also applicable for residents near coastal areas, with the potential to be affected by incandescent rocks, hot cloud avalanches, and potential tsunamis due to the collapse of part of the mountain body into the sea.
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Translator: M. Riezko Bima, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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