Geological Agency Records North Sulawesi Space Mountain Implosive Eruption Several Times

The eruption of Mount Ruang on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 01:08 WITA. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 55 mm and a duration of 120 seconds. (ANTARA/HO-X/@PVMBG/pri)

MANADO - The Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) noted that Mount Ruang in Sitaro Islands Regency, North Sulawesi, erupted explosively several times.

"The explosive eruption occurred on April 16, 2024 at 21:45 WITA, April 17, 2024 at 01.08 WITA and at 05.05 WITA," said Head of the Geological Agency Muhammad Wafid in a release received by ANTARA Manado through the Head of the Volcano Monitoring and Disaster Mitigation Center for the Land Movement of Sulawesi and Maluku Juliana DJ Rumambi in Manado as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, April 18.

The explosive eruption column reaches an altitude of approximately 2,500 meters from the crater peak (land observations).

The head of the Geological Agency added that on April 17 at 18.00 WITA, there was another eruption on Mount Ruangan, then on the same date at 20.15 WITA there was a continuous eruption.

The eruption was accompanied by rumbling sounds and vibrations felt up to the PGA Ruang Post in Tulusan Village, Tagulandang District.

At the time of the eruption on April 17, 2024 at 20.15 WITA, visuals on Ruang Island were observed to have explosive eruptions accompanied by ejection of incandescent materials accompanied by hot clouds that resulted in stone and sand rain on Tagulandang Island.

This continuous eruption activity was also recorded at a seismic station on Mount Karangetang (Siau Island/Sitaro Islands Regency), Gunung Awu (Sanihe Islands Regency), Soputan (Southeast Minahasa Regency), Tangkoko (Bitung City), Lokon and Mahawu in Tomohon City.

Footage of eruptions originating from Mount Ruang at the stations of Mount Awu, Soputan, Tangkoko, and Mahawu began to subside on April 18, 2024 at 02.50 WITA.

As of 06.00 WITA, the eruption was not recorded at the mountain stations.

Mount Ruang is located on Ruang Island, next to the Tagulandang Island, Sitaro Islands Regency.

It took about three hours to reach Tagulandang Port using a fast boat from Manado Harbor, then from Tamulandang crossing to Ruang Island.