Thousands evacuated following re-eruption of Indonesia’s Ruang volcano

The Ruang volcano in Indonesia erupted again on Tuesday, prompting authorities to raise the alert status to its highest level, evacuating more than 12,000 people living on a nearby island.

The eruption follows a series of eruptions earlier this month that forced hundreds to evacuate, and the airport in the provincial capital of Manado to close. 

Footage shared by Indonesia’s disaster agency showed strikes of lightning flashing above Ruang’s crater, as fiery red clouds of lava and rocks were projected into the air and rained down around the island.

The volcanology agency said the eruption column reached 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) high, and urged any remaining residents within a 7-km, previously 6-km, radius to immediately evacuate, warning of possible further “explosive eruptions”.