Volcano erupts in Indonesia, hundreds of residents evacuated

A volcano erupted in northern Indonesia, spewing lava and ash, overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people, authorities said.

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Ruang volcano, northeast of Celebes, erupted for the first time at 9:45 pm local Tuesday (1:45 pm GMT), then erupted twice in the early morning on Wednesday, according to the country's volcanology and geology agencies.

Indonesia's Antara news agency reported that no deaths or injuries were reported, but more than 800 people were evacuated from two villages on Ruang Island to a neighboring island.

Muhammad Wafid, director of the National Geological Agency, said in a statement that the first eruption threw a column of ash up to two kilometers high into the sky, and the second 2.5 kilometers high.

According to the Volcanology Agency, the activity of Ruang volcano has increased after two earthquakes in recent weeks.

The warning level for the volcano, which rises to 725 metres, had been raised from two to three, the second highest possible, before the eruption.

Authorities also imposed a four-kilometre exclusion zone around the crater, located more than 100 kilometers north of the North Sulawesi province capital, Manado.

Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates leads to significant volcanic and seismic activity. The country has approximately 130 active volcanoes.