The Terrible Sight Of The North Sulawesi Space Mountain Eruption, Why Is There A Lightning At The Peak Of The Mountain?

The visualization of the eruption accompanied by a volcanic flash of lightning occurred on Mount Ruang which is located in Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi, Wednesday (17/4/2024). ANTARA/HO-PVMBG

JAKARTA - Stabbing the situation from a distance when Mount Ruang in Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi, erupted. Lightning flash appeared.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) reported eruption activity in the form of ejection of volcanic ash as high as 3,000 meters out of the crater of Mount Ruang in Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi.

"The ash column was observed to be gray to black with thick intensity to the south. When this report was made, the eruption was still ongoing," said Mount Ruang Observation Post Officer Julius Rampolii in a report received in Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, April 17.

The eruption occurred tonight at 20.15 WITA. The explosive eruption gave rise to a natural phenomenon of flashing volcanic lightning.

On April 16, 2024, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) raised the status from the previous Normal to Alert to Mount Ruang starting at 10.00 WITA.

At 16.00 WITA it was still on the same date, PVMBG again raised its status from previously Alert to Alert based on the results of visual and instrumental monitoring which showed an increase in volcanic activity.

PVMBG asked the community around Mount Ruang to remain vigilant and not enter a radius of four kilometers from the center of the active crater of the strato-type volcano.

Mount Ruang is administratively located in Tulusan Village, Tagulandang District, Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has raised the status of Mount Ruang in Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi, from level III or Alert to level IV or Alert.

Head of PVMBG Hendra Gunawan said the status change will start April 17, 2024 at 21.00 WITA with a recommendation of six kilometers from the summit.

"Currently, the strength of the eruption of Mount Ruang is getting bigger and has emitted hot clouds of approximately 1.7 kilometers," he said in a report quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, April 17.

Hendra explained that the decision to raise the status was taken to anticipate the tsunami due to a large heat alert to the sea.

People living on the west coast of Tagulandang Island were evacuated to the east coast to avoid tsunamis and hot clouds arising from explosive eruptions from Mount Ruang.

As previously reported, two tectonic earthquakes centered in the Maluku Sea have triggered volcanic upheaval in Mount Ruang.