Indonesia raises alert level to highest, warns of tsunami as volcano erupts
An airport in Madano city, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, has been ordered closed while hundreds of people evacuated and the alert level raised to the highest on April 18 due to large-scale volcanic eruptions of Mount Ruang.
Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province, Indonesia, erupts on April 17, 2024. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – An airport in Madano city, the capital of Indonesia’s NorthSulawesi province, has been ordered closed while hundreds of people evacuatedand the alert level raised to the highest on April 18 due to large-scale volcaniceruptions of Mount Ruang.
On late April 17, the Indonesian Centre for Volcanology andGeological Hazard Mitigation released a tsunami alert after Mount Ruang in NorthSulawesi continued to spew lava and ash high into the sky.
More than 11,000 people have been requested to evacuate. Budget airline Air Asia cancelled flights with nine airports inEast Malaysia and Brunei after aviation authorities warned of a safety threat.
Eruptions on April 17 evening followed small-scale eruptions since April 16 morning.
The Jakarta-basedcentre urged immediate evacuation of all tourists and residents within a 6km radiusof the volcano, including Ruang Island and nearby Tagulandang Island.
Earlier,this centre reported that local authorities had evacuated 828 residents in TagulandangIsland.
Mount Ruang, about 100km from Manado, is 725m above sea level.
Indonesia sits on thePacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes highvolcanic and seismic activity. It is one of the countries with the most numbersof active volcanoes./.
Ibu volcano on Halmahera Island in the eastern Indonesian province of North Maluku erupted on March 25 for about three minutes, throwing ash up to 2,500 meters above its peak, according to the country's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
The World Risk Index (WRI) 2023 put the Philippines at the number one for the most-disaster-prone country in the world, followed by Indonesia and India.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 hit Indonesia's eastern province of West Papua on April 9, but did not trigger a tsunami warning, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.
At least 800 people in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province have been evacuated after the area’s Ruang volcano has spewed lava and ash clouds into the sky for days, Indonesia’s volcanology agency said on April 17.
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International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
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The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province, Indonesia, erupts on April 17, 2024. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
