The Ruang volcano has experienced five eruptions since Tuesday and projected a cloud of ash more than a kilometer high into the sky. The volcano's crater ignited and spewed lava overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, prompting authorities to raise the alert level to the highest on a scale of four.
Authorities announced the evacuation of 11,000 people in the area near the volcano, which includes the island of Tagulandang. Residents were urged not to go more than six kilometers from the volcano. Some residents tried to flee in panic, according to authorities, and some people are being evacuated on inflatable boats. Authorities are now worried about a possible risk of a tsunami if the volcano's debris falls into the sea. It is located on a small island in the northern province of Celebes, in an isolated area of the archipelago.