Residents Of Ruang Island Have Been Evacuated To Bitung

Manado Basarnas personnel evacuated residents of victims of the eruption of Mount Ruang to KN SAR Bima Sena through Minanga Port some time ago. (ANTARA / Karel A Pollakitan)

MANADO - Head of the Manado Basarnas Office, North Sulawesi, Monce Brury said residents of Ruang Island affected by the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro Islands Regency had been evacuated to Bitung City.

"They are now at BLK Bitung," said Monce in Manado as reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 6.

Residents of Pumpente Village and Laingpatehi Village were residents who settled on Ruang Island and were then evacuated to Tagulandang Island during the first eruption on April 16, 2024.

"They were evacuated from Tamulandang to Manado using KN SAR Bima Sena yesterday," he said.

He said the evacuation of residents who fled to Tagulandang Island would no longer take place after the Tagulandang Port was reopened to the public.

After opening it, Basarnas officers could no longer record which ones were refugees from the eruption of Mount Ruang and which were not.

"Even so, we are still alerting KN SAR Bina Sena to continue to assist BPBD Sitaro in handling the post-eruption of Mount Ruang. If an important moment is needed, we are ready to help," he said.

After being at BLK Bitung, further handling will be carried out by the provincial government together with other stakeholders.

"According to Governor Olly Dondokambey's information, they (Pumpente Village residents and Laingpatehi Village) will be relocated. Maybe that's why they were evacuated to Bitung City," he said.

Mount Ruang began its eruption on April 16, 2024, after a significant increase in volcanic activity, its status even from normal level one increased to alert (level two), alert (level three) and alert (level four).

His status was lowered to alert after volcanic activity tended to decline. On April 30, 2024, Mount Ruang erupted again and even more severe than the previous eruption.