'Crisis not over' as eruptions at Indonesia volcano go on; 11,000 people expected to be evacuated

Mount Ruang volcano is seen during the eruption from Tagulandang island, Indonesia, Thursday, April 18, 2024. Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano Thursday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. (AP Photo/ Hendra Ambalao)

JAKARTA (AFP): The threat from an Indonesian volcano that has erupted more than half a dozen times this week is not over, the archipelago's top volcanology official told AFP, as the crater belched another ash tower on Saturday.

Mount Ruang, located in Indonesia's outermost region of North Sulawesi province, started erupting late Tuesday, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands on islands near the stratovolcano and closure of the nearest international airport.