During 21-27 October, a thick low-level ash plume infrequently rose above Ruang. Rainfall on 23 October caused lahars to flow down the volcano's flanks during 1445-1545. Ruang remained at Alert Level 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

30 October 2002            Back to Top

During 21-27 October, a thick low-level ash plume infrequently rose above Ruang. Rainfall on 23 October caused lahars to flow down the volcano's flanks during 1445-1545. Ruang remained at Alert Level 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Sources: Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM)

25 September 2002            Back to Top

VSI reported that following the 25 September Ruang eruption there was no significant volcanic activity; only thin white clouds rose 100 m above the summit. On 30 September VSI decreased the Alert Level at Ruang from 4 to 3 (on a scale of 1-4).

Sources: Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) , Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

18 September 2002            Back to Top

VSI increased the Alert Level at Ruang to 4 (the highest level) when the volcano began to erupt on 25 September at 0100. During the 7-hour eruption an ash cloud rose 0.5-1 km above the summit. Ruang erupted again at 1140, producing an ash cloud that VSI reported rose to 5 km above the summit. According to the Darwin VAAC, satellite imagery revealed that an ash cloud reached ~16 km above the volcano. People living near the volcano at desa Pumpente and desa Laimpatehi were evacuated.

Sources: Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) , Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

Below is a summary of eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI).

The following references are the sources used for data regarding this volcano. References are linked directly to our volcano data file. Discussion of another volcano or eruption (sometimes far from the one that is the subject of the manuscript) may produce a citation that is not at all apparent from the title. Additional discussion of data sources can be found under Volcano Data Criteria.

Kusumadinata K, 1979. {Data Dasar Gunungapi Indonesia}. Bandung: Volc Surv Indonesia, 820 p

Morrice M G, Jezek P A, Gill J B, Whitford D J, Monoarfa M, 1983. An introduction to the Sangihe arc: volcanism accompanying arc-arc collision in the Molucca Sea, Indonesia. {J Volc Geotherm Res}, 19: 135-165

Neumann van Padang M, 1951. Indonesia. {Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields}, Rome: IAVCEI, 1: 1-271

Neumann van Padang M, 1959. Changes in the top of Mount Ruang (Indonesia). {Geol en Mijnbouw}, 21: 113-118

Ruang volcano, not to be confused with the better known Raung volcano on Java, is the southernmost volcano in the Sangihe Island arc, north of Sulawesi Island. The 4 x 5 km island volcano rises to 725 m across a narrow strait SW of the larger Tagulandang Island. The summit of Ruang volcano contains a crater partially filled by a lava dome initially emplaced in 1904. Explosive eruptions recorded since 1808 have often been accompanied by lava dome formation and pyroclastic flows that have damaged inhabited areas.