Indonesia's Ruang volcano erupts, more than 12,000 people evacuated

FILE PHOTO: Mount Ruang volcano spews volcanic ash as seen from Tagulandang in Sitaro Islands Regency, North Sulawesi province, Indonesia, April 19, 2024. REUTERS/Chermanto Tjaombah/File Photo

JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia's Ruang volcano erupted on Tuesday, spewing lava as lightning flashes lit up its crater, prompting authorities to raise the alert status and evacuate more than 12,000 people living on a nearby island.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) had warned the residents of Tagulandang island that a tsunami could be triggered by volcanic material collapsing into the ocean.