Mount Ruang eruption, three days to evacuate thousands of Tagulandang residents

Thousands of residents around Mount Ruang had to be evacuated from the island. Some residents are sick and need immediate treatment.

HUMAS SAR MANADO

A total of 109 residents of Tagulandang Island, Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi, were evacuated to Likupang Regency, using KN SAR Bimasena.

KENDARI, KOMPAS — A total of 5,719 residents of Tagulandang Island, Sitaro Island, North Sulawesi, still have to be evacuated due to the impact of eruption Space Mountain. Mount Ruang is located on Ruang Island, just southwest of Tagulandang. Ship deployment continues and is targeted to be completed in the next three days.

Some Tagulandang residents are now reported to be sick. The government has extended the emergency response status for the next two weeks.

The Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto, explained that as of Thursday (2/5/2024), there have been 3,364 residents evacuated from Pulau Tagulandang. They were evacuated using several ships from various government and private agencies, over the past three days.

"Based on data collection, there are a total of 9,083 people. So, there are still 5,719 people who need to be evacuated. Apart from the existing ships, there is also a plan to have a KRI Teluk Lampung with a capacity of up to 600 people. "We hope that the evacuation will continue and can be completed in the next three days," said Suharyanto, at a coordination meeting for handling the Mount Ruang eruption disaster, in Manado, Thursday afternoon.

The status of Mount Ruang, which is currently at the Alert level, must be constantly monitored by all parties. This mountain has unique characteristics and an unusual eruption pattern. Therefore, all resources must be mobilized during the emergency response period to prevent any fatal occurrences. The extension of the emergency response period from Tuesday (30/4/2024) to Tuesday (14/5/2024) is a step to address and anticipate the potential impacts of another eruption that may occur.

KOMPAS/SAIFUL RIJAL YUNUS

The Head of BNPB, Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto, led a coordination meeting on the handling of the eruption disaster of Mount Ruang in Manado, North Sulawesi, which was broadcasted online on Thursday (2/5/2024).

"In this time, all the needs of the affected community must be fulfilled. Various reports related to food and other necessities will be prepared soon. Regarding reconstruction and rehabilitation, they should be reported promptly to us for future assistance," he said.

North Sulawesi Governor Olly Dondokambey explained that so far efforts to deal with residents affected by the eruption have continued. Apart from emergency management, the government is starting to think about relocating two villages located on Ruang Island, the main eruption point.

Also read: Mount Ruang Eruption, 1,945 Residents Evacuated from Tagulandang Island

According to Olly, those two villages are inhabited by 301 families and are the most affected area. Since the beginning, the residents have been evacuated and placed in a safe location.

“At present, we have been searching for alternative relocation sites for residents. According to the plan, they are in Likupang and Bolaang Mongondow Selatan. This will be reported to the central government,” he said.

The Commander of Naval Base VIII, First Admiral TNI Nouldy J Tangka stated that they continue to make continuous efforts to evacuate residents. Along with other institutions, the residents are transported by ship to evacuation sites scattered in several points.

"However, based on what we have seen, the refugees are lacking in vegetables and fruits. They need fiber for good digestion. Some of them are having difficulty passing stool and experiencing bleeding. In addition, some sick residents require immediate treatment," he said.

North Sulawesi Regional Police Chief Inspector General Yudhiawan Wibisono and Pangdam XIII/Merdeka Major General TNI Chandra Wijaya also reported the same thing.

Regarding this matter, the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto has instructed for the immediate provision of food to the community. The team must fulfill the need for fiber, both from vegetables and fruits.

Also read: Eruption Again, Status of Mount Ruang Rises Again to Warning

The status of Mount Ruang in the Siau Tagulandang Biaro or Sitaro district, North Sulawesi, has been raised to "Warning" as of April 30, 2024 at 01:30 WITA. Communities within a 7-kilometer radius from the center of the crater are being asked to evacuate, especially along the west coast of Tagulandang Island, to avoid the potential impacts of the eruption.

The increase in volcanic activity is evident from the high number of shallow and deep volcanic earthquakes since Monday (29/4/2024). According to records from PVMBG, on that day between 00.00-24.00 WITA, there were 15 instances of eruption earthquakes, 237 instances of shallow volcanic earthquakes, 425 instances of deep volcanic earthquakes, 15 instances of local tectonic earthquakes, and 6 instances of distant tectonic earthquakes.

The airport is open again

In addition to the impacts on the surrounding communities, the spread of volcanic ash has also caused the suspension of operations at Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado, as well as six other airports in recent times.

However, this morning, several other airports have been opened as the spread of ash decreases. The airport operations in Manado are still awaiting coordination meetings later this Thursday afternoon.

BASARNAS MANADO

The SAR team picked up residents on the coast of Tagulandang Island for evacuation, Thursday (18/4/2014).

The Head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG), Hendra Gunawan, explained that eruptions of Mount Ruang have occurred regularly since the early 1800s. When eruptions occur, they are always marked by the emergence of hot clouds that are very dangerous for the surrounding community.

Based on its characteristics, he continued, Mount Ruang is different from several other volcanoes in Indonesia. This mountain has an explosive character that can change so quickly. Alert status can turn into an eruption warning within hours.

Therefore, he hopes that all parties will increase vigilance, especially during the current emergency response period.

"Moreover, our monitoring equipment is broken, we hope it can be installed soon so that we can quickly monitor what is happening on the mountain," he said.