Mount Ruang, a volcano in North Sulawesi of Indonesia erupted several times on 16th and 17th April. The country is on high alert after the eruption as the volcano emitted explosive plumes of lava, ash and rocks compelling hundreds of people to evacuate from the nearby areas. The eruption forced the closure of a provincial airport in Indonesia.

The eruption launched a looming pillar of lava, rocks and fiery ash as far as 3km above in the sky. Several videos of the eruption surfaced on social media which showed people terrified running for evacuation. The video also showed flashes of purple lightning tearing the sky above the volcano. The eruption occurred on a remote island in the province of North Sulawesi.

More than 800 people were evacuated after the eruption and the area of evacuation is widening as the alert status is raised by the volcanology agency.

The agency has warned of further eruptions, "the potential for further eruption is still high, so we need to remain alert,” said Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari official of the Volcanology agency.

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The falling rocks had damaged several houses and a nearby hospital was also evacuated for the same reason. The incident has forced the travel agency to shut down an airport in the provincial capital of Manado. Air Asia cancelled flights with nine airports in East Malaysia and Brunei because of the security threat.

The officials also alarmed the people for a possible threat of tsunami if the rocks and other sediments of the mountains reached the ocean, which had happened previously by the eruption of the volcano in 1871

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