Mount Ruang Eruption, Sam Ratulangi Airport Can Only Operate Thursday Afternoon

The plane in the parking lot of Samrat Airport is full of volcanic ash from Mount Ruang, in Manado, Wednesday (1/5/2024). (ANTARA)

MANADO - General Manager (GM) of Sam Ratulangi Airport (Samrat), Maya Damayanti, said the closure of Samrat Airport was extended until Thursday, May 2 at noon.

"NOTAM Manado's Sam Ratulangi Airport is closed until May 2, 2024, at 12.00 WITA, due to volcanic ash from Mount Ruang," Maya said as quoted by ANTARA, May 1.

The extension of the closure of Manado's Sam Ratulangi Airport (WAMM) with the number NOTAM A1148/24 NOTAMR A1144/24 was extended from April 30 at 11.13 WITA to May 2, 2024 at 12.00 WITA.

Maya said the volcanic ash bursts were still quite a lot and would be very dangerous for flights.

"We will not take risks, so airport closures must be extended," he said.

He explained that every hour his party conducts monitoring through the paper test, whether there is still volcanic ash around Samrat Airport or not.

"The public must know that volcanic ash will be very dangerous for aircraft engines and other devices," he said.

So, he said, if you have to be forced to fly, the plane can experience engine failures and will endanger the safety of passengers.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has officially set the status of Mount Ruang to rise to Level IV (Awas) from being at Level III or Alert.

The increase in status was carried out after the stratovolcano mountain erupted again and released an eruption column reaching 2,000 meters from the summit accompanied by a continuous roar and earthquake felt on Tuesday (30/4) morning at 02.35 WITA.

In fact, the Volcano Observation Post team on Ruang Island, Sitaro Islands Regency, noted that Mount Ruang again experienced three eruptions during the observation period from 12.00 to 18.00 WITA.

The three eruptions threw eruption material with gray and black smoke as high as 800-1,500 meters