Mt Ruang volcanic ash predicted to disrupt air travel in Sabah til May 5

Mt Ruang volcanic ash predicted to disrupt air travel in Sabah til May 5

KOTA KINABALU: Volcanic ash from the Mount Ruang eruption on Tuesday (April 30) could enter the airspace above Sabah and disrupt air travel until May 5.

Based on the Aviation Weather Warning issued by the Meteorology Department (MetMalaysia) on Tuesday night, ash from the volcano is expected to enter Sabah’s airspace from Wednesday (May 1) night.

MetMalaysia director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said flight operations in the Kota Kinabalu Flight Information Region (FIR) could face disruption.

Based on the trajectory model from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), volcanic ash is expected to enter the airspace and have a significant impact throughout the forecast period until May 5, he said in a statement.

“MetMalaysia is monitoring the volcanic ash movement continuously and will update the information and issue Aviation Weather Warnings if necessary,” he said.

MetMalaysia also advised the public to be aware of the information released by the department through the official website, myCuaca application and social media.

Mount Ruang, situated North of Sulawesi and East of Sabah erupted again on Tuesday morning and spewed ash that filled the surrounding air until it reached a height of 63,000ft or 20km.

Flight operations in the region were also suspended following the highest warning issued by the Indonesian authorities following the latest eruption.

The volcanic eruption that began in April has affected 214 flights in and out of Sabah and Sarawak.

The volcanic dust was a hazard for aircraft as it can damage avionics.