FLASH UPDATE #1 – Mount Ruang Volcanic Activity in North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Country under monitoring: Indonesia
OVERVIEW: Following recent activity of Mount Ruang since Tuesday, 16 April at 1600 HRS UTC+7, the Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) elevated the status of Mount Ruang Alert Level II to Alert Level III. As of Wednesday, 17 April 0315 HRS UTC+7, Mount Ruang erupted again at 0130 HRS UTC+7 and several location experienced volcanic ash rain. On 17 April 2024 at 1915 HRS UTC+7, Mount Ruang had an explosive eruption with the height of the eruption column observed to be gray to black in color with a height of around 3,000 m above the peak, accompanied by a roar and an earthquake felt at the Ruang PGA Post. Following the increase in volcanic activity, the alert level for Mount Ruang had been escalated to Level IV (highest alert).
IMPACTS: According to the Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) report on 17 April 2024 at 2100 HRS UTC+7:
- 272 families (838 persons) have been displaced, which include:
- 113 Elderlies
- 156 Children (of which, 54 are below 5 years old)
- 1 pregnant woman
- 9 persons with disability
- As of this reporting perriod, 45 people are staying in Tagulandang District facility while about 783 persons are in homes of relatives on Tagulandang Island
- Tagulandang Port is currently not operational.
- Communication lines have been disrupted in Laingpatehi Island.
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS: Based on the limited data available, it is estimated that 7.2K people, 1.9K households, and 15.5M USD worth of infrastructure are within 10 km and more likely to be adversely impacted, and that there is no concentrated population between 10 km and 30 km of the volcano. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available by official sources. (DMRS).
HAZARDS: PVMBG recorded that the number of deep volcanic earthquakes increased significantly by 1.4K Deep Volcanic earthquakes (VTA), 569 Shallow Volcanic earthquakes (VTB), 6 Local Tectonic earthquakes, and 167 Deep Tectonic earthquakes. Earthquakes were recorded 4 times on the MMI I scale. The number of earthquakes, especially deep volcanic earthquakes that occurred in the period 1-17 April 2024, showed a significant increase compared to March 2024. There was a hail of stones in Tagulandang Main which is directly opposite Mount Ruang.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE:
- BPBD of Sitaro is coordinating with the Provincial BPBD of North Sulawesi to conduct monitoring and provide necessary assistance.
- BPBD Sitaro is conducting rapid assessments, evacuations, and preparing evacuation facilities in the Tagulandang sub-district.
- Authorities have provided support for evacuation with ferry vessels along with privately owned boats.
- Evacuation centres and emergency kitchens have been activated to support and provide the immediate needs of the affected communities.
- BPBD has provided assistance including 123 mats, 120 blankets, and 400 masks
- Local government authorities, including BPBD Sitaro, North Sulawesi, and BNPB maintain coordination with the Mount Ruang Volcano Observation Post in Tagulandang and PVMBG.
- All residents of Ruang Island have been successfully evacuated.
- Emergency response personnel have been deployed to the affected areas.
- The alert level of Ruang Volcano will be periodically evaluated by PVMBG. The activity level is considered constant if the next evaluation has not been issued.
The AHA Centre will continue to closely monitor for further developments and issue necessary updates.
DATA SOURCES
ASEAN Disaster Monitoring & Response System (DMRS), ASEAN Disaster Information Network (ADINet); Pacific Disaster Center (PDC Global);
Indonesia: BNPB, PVMBG;
Verified news media agencies.
