Volcanic ash from Gunung Ruang to enter Malaysian skies tonight

 

Gunung Ruang volcano spews volcanic materials during an eruption as seen from Tagulandang in Sitaro, North Sulawesi province, Indonesia, May 1, 2024. -- Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation/ REUTERS

KUALA LUMPUR: Ash from the eruption of Indonesian volcano Gunung Ruang is expected to enter Malaysian airspace tonight.

It is also expected to affect flights in Sabah until May 5, said the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).

MetMalaysia director general, Muhammad Helmi Abdullah, said based on the trajectory model by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the volcanic ash will enter Malaysian airspace and have significant impact.

MetMalaysia, he said, has issued a Significant Meteorological Information (Sigmet) warning to flight operators.

"The ash has the potential to disrupt flight operations within the Kota Kinabalu Flight Information Region (FIR).

"The volcanic ash can pose a risk to the safety of aircraft," he said in a statement.

Gunung Ruang, located in North Sulawesi, erupted on Tuesday, spewing ash up to 63,000 feet (20km) into the air.

This was its second eruption after the first one on April 16 led to numerous flight cancellations. - NST