Indonesian authorities began evacuating 12,000 people on Wednesday, following the eruption of Mount Ruang volcano in Sulawesi province, in the north of the country.
Local authorities reported that evacuation of thousands of people living within a 7 km radius around the volcano has begun, as ships belonging to the National Search and Rescue Agency, the Indonesian Navy and the police started evacuating residents.
Earlier on Tuesday, authorities had raised the alert level for the volcano after it witnessed several major eruptions prompting warnings of deadly lava and ash flows, and the possibility of a tsunami, which led to the obstruction of air traffic.
The 725 meters high volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, as this latest eruption comes in the wake of increasing volcanic activity, which began in mid-April.
Source: Qatar News Agency