Indonesian rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people on Thursday after a volcano erupted five times, forcing authorities to close a nearby airport and issued a warning about falling debris that could cause a tsunami.
Wednesday’s dramatic eruption of the volcano on a remote island in the province of North Sulawesi threw a fiery red column of lava, incandescent rock, and ash as much as three km (two miles) into the sky.
Meanwhile, videos on social media showed purple flashes of lightning rent the sky above the erupting volcano.
“We’re running, guys,” said one witness who filmed the eruption while scrambling to evacuate. We are escaping because the ash is coming close.”
According to report, more than 800 people were evacuated from the area, with authorities widening the evacuation zone further after the volcanology agency raised the alert.
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“The potential for further eruption is still high, so we need to remain alert,” agency official Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari told reporters on Thursday, blaming a rapid escalation in volcanic activity.
“The agency had also received reports that falling rocks and ash damaged homes and forced a nearby hospital to evacuate,” he added.
Transport authorities have, however, shut down the airport in the provincial capital of Manado to protect against the showers of ash from the eruption.
Budget airline Air Asia also cancelled flights with nine airports in East Malaysia and Brunei after aviation authorities warned of a safety threat.
