Thousands evacuated as Indonesia volcano erupts, causes tsunami threat and airport closure | rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people on April 18 after a volcano erupted five times, forcing the authorities to close a nearby airport and issue a warning about falling debris that could cause a tsunami.
The crater of Mount Ruang flamed with lava against a backdrop of lightning bolts overnight after erupting four times on April 17, forcing the authorities to raise its alert level to the highest of a four-tiered system.
The volcano on a remote island in Indonesia’s outermost region was still billowing a column of smoke in the morning on April 18, prompting the authorities to shut the nearest international airport in Manado city on Sulawesi island for 24 hours.
