REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MANADO -- PT Angkasa Pura (AP) I Sam Ratulangi Airport was temporarily closed due to volcanic ash impact of Gunung Ruang, in Siau Tagulandang Biaro (Sitaro) Regency, North Sulawesi.

GM of Sam Ratulangi Airport Maya Damayanti, in Manado, Thursday (18/4/2024), said that the volcanic ash of Mount Ruang, which was detected based on the results of field observations, was a paper test conducted at 07.00 WITA today.

Temporary closure of Sam Ratulangi Airport was announced through Notice to Airmen (Notam) temporary closure until 10:00 AM WITA. “For a while our Sam Ratulangi Airport is closed until further notice,” Maya said.

According to the Memorandum that today is April 18, 2024, he said, the action was taken as a result of coordination with the Airport Authority, BMKG and several other stakeholders. “It is important we decide because this impact could jeopardize airport safety,” Maya said.

He said the airport would reopen until further notice. For the time being, it is conducting a coordination meeting to decide on matters that need to be followed up with respect to the affected aircraft.

Maya said the notice had been relayed to passengers through the loudspeakers of Sam Ratulangi Airport's information section.

“We apologise for the delay in the departure of the passengers, this is an unavoidable natural factor,” he said.

Scheduled flights from Manado to Jakarta, Makassar, and Sorong, experienced delays. Similarly with arrivals from China and Ternate.

The status of Ruang Mountain in the Sitaro Islands rose from Level III Alert to Level IV Aware. This upgrade in status follows the escalation of volcanic activity of Mount Space which re-erupted on Wednesday 17 April 2024 at 18:00 WITA with the height of the material eruption reaching 2,500 m from the summit.

Then on Wednesday (17/4) at 20.15 WITA there was again an explosive eruption with a height of about 3,000 meters above the summit. This eruption was accompanied by rumbling sounds and earthquakes were felt in the Volcano Observation Post (PGA) Space.

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