Following the climax of the eruption on April 17, a modest explosive activity persisted in the volcano crater for twelve days, causing discreet ash emissions into the atmosphere. The residents of the only village on this island located between the Philippines and the Indonesian island of Sulawesi to the north and south respectively, were able to briefly return to save some animals left behind during the evacuation. They could see that the greenery of their island had turned into various shades of gray, with lighter areas showing pyroclastic flows that, in several places, reached the sea.
For Indonesian volcanologists, this initial eruption was already considered one of the most powerful in half a century in Indonesia, although further studies will be needed to refine these statements. But for a country with the largest number of active volcanoes on our planet, this is not insignificant.
An Impressive New Paroxysm!
The seismic activity under the volcano increased on April 29 and overnight, the explosive activity became extremely violent. The massive ash plume, illuminated by numerous lightning strikes once again, reportedly reached 19 kilometers in altitude, spreading into the upper atmosphere and forming a 200-kilometer diameter umbrella at sunrise!
Various images taken from the neighboring island of Tahulandang also show numerous pyroclastic flows on several slopes of the volcano. This time, they also seem to have developed towards the west and the village, as houses have burned.
What an impressive sight!
Several satellite images show the development of a massive ash plume above the volcano, mainly drifting westward, although part of the umbrella developed over the island of Sulawesi and the city of Manado in particular.
Pyroclastic flows in multiple directions, notably towards the north, reaching the shore.
A pyroclastic flow briefly spreading over the sea, seen from the neighboring island.
Burning houses, likely indicating the arrival of a pyroclastic flow to the village…
Such a breathtaking spectacle!
Large volcanic projections sent into the air fell nearby, especially on the village of Tagulandang on the neighboring island, just over four kilometers from the volcano’s crater. A resident was injured in the head by a scoria projectile of about eight centimeters in diameter, which pierced the tin roof of his house! But most of the lava was finely fragmented, forming lighter ashes that were carried further. Some of them, for example, fell on the city of Manado, about 100 kilometers south-southwest of the volcano, forcing the local airport to close.
### The Spectacular Eruption of Mount Ruang in Indonesia Triggered by an Earthquake!
On April 9, following a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, seismic activity under the small island between the Philippines and the Indonesian archipelago of Sulawesi increased abruptly and led to an eruption starting on April 16. Several ash plumes exceeded 10 kilometers in altitude, accompanied by lightning and numerous pyroclastic flows! The island-volcano’s only village was quickly evacuated, and now 11,000 people must retreat due to the risk of a tsunami.
*Article by Ludovic Leduc, published on April 18, 2024.*
After a few days of seismic activity and the appearance of degassing at the summit of this volcano, an eruption began precisely at 1:37 p.m. on April 16. The village on this small 13 km² island, located less than 2,500 meters from the crater, promptly evacuated its 830 inhabitants when evacuation was requested around 4 p.m., likely remembering the violent 2002 eruption…
### Magnificent Power!
Therefore, from the coast of the nearby island of Pulau Thulandang, they were able to witness the intensification of activity on the night of April 16-17, with ash plumes reaching up to 13 kilometers in altitude. The following day, the activity persisted and intensified again in the evening, leading to an intense paroxysmal phase!An ash plume rose to 16 kilometers in altitude, accompanied by lightning and imposing pyroclastic flows rushing down the volcano’s slopes. Alert level 4 was immediately triggered, along with a prohibition of access within 6 kilometers of the volcano’s summit. The village of Tahulandang on the neighboring island is affected due to the risk of a tsunami.
On April 18, the activity is quieter, revealing an island covered in ash. Some island residents have temporarily returned to their village, finding a desolate scene as the volcanic ashes have accumulated weight from the rain, causing some roofs to collapse.
The eruption triggered by an earthquake has sparked discussions in the field of volcanology. A magnitude 6.4 earthquake on April 9 led to deep seismic activity under the volcano, which intensified after a second magnitude 5.1 earthquake on April 14, culminating in the eruption two days later. The sequence of events leaves little doubt that these earthquakes triggered the eruption of magma that was likely ready to erupt, with seismic crises in 2015 and 2022 possibly indicating the magma’s buildup in the volcanic reservoir.