Airport near volcano reopens as Indonesia lowers eruption alert level

By GRACEY WAKARY and EDNA TARIGAN
Associated Press

MANADO, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities reopened an international airport near a volcano that erupted last week as they lowered warnings. Sam Ratulangi airport has been closed since Thursday due to eruptions at nearby Mount Ruang. Indonesia’s Disaster Management Agency lowered the volcano’s alert level from four, the second-highest level, to three, but said residents were still ordered to remain at least 4 kilometers away from the mountain. Officials opened the airport after satellite imagery showed that rains had washed away volcanic ash covering the tarmac.