Mount Ruang volcano rages in Indonesia: what the "fiery hell" looks like. Photo and video

On April 16, Indonesia's Mount Ruang volcano erupted, spewing fiery lava and ash thousands of meters into the night sky. The natural disaster forced the evacuation of 11 thousand people in the province of North Sulawesi.

The volcanic eruption began at about 19:19 local time, according to the national news agency Antara. More than 800 people from nearby villages took refuge in churches and community centers.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago nation in the world. The country is located in a "fiery hell" where tectonic plates collide under the surface of the Pacific Ocean, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Mount Ruang is a stratovolcano that has been covered with layers over the years as a result of explosive eruptions of lava, rock fragments, and ash.

"It's a part of the world that has a lot of active volcanoes," said Dr. Tracy K.P. Gregg, who heads the University at Buffalo's geology department. Its last major eruption occurred in 2002 when a column of lava and ash reached 43 kilometers in height, the expert said. The current eruption is not as strong as the previous one, she added.

"At least 11,615 residents at risk should evacuate to a safe place," Abdul Muhari, head of the disaster agency's data, communications and information center, was quoted by Kompas newspaper as saying. Officials are also concerned that part of the volcano could fall into the sea and cause a tsunami, as happened during the 1871 eruption.

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