JAKARTA: A volcanic eruption on Wednesday sent plumes of ash soaring into the sky as Mount Ibu, located on the island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, erupted at 11:11 am local time (0211 GMT). The eruption, which sent a thick column of dark smoke and ash above the peak, has prompted officials to raise the alert level to the second-highest tier, urging caution and evacuation measures.
According to Indonesia’s volcanology agency (PVMBG), Mount Ibu unleashed an ash tower reaching 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) above the peak, indicating a significant eruption event. PVMBG chief Hendra Gunawan stated that the activity level of the volcano has been elevated from level two to level three on the agency’s four-tiered monitoring system.
In response to the eruption, authorities have established an exclusion zone extending between three and five kilometers around the volcano’s crater. Residents in the vicinity have been advised to take precautions, including wearing face masks and glasses to shield against falling volcanic ash.
Indonesia, situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences seismic and volcanic activity. Mount Ibu’s eruption adds to the recent string of volcanic events in the region. Just last month, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi Province erupted multiple times, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents from nearby islands. Mount Ruang remains at the highest alert level on the PVMBG’s scale.
The eruption of Mount Ruang had significant implications, including the closure of Sam Ratulangi International Airport in the city of Manado, located over 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the crater. While the airport has since reopened after days of closure, the impact of volcanic activity on local communities and infrastructure underscores the ongoing risks posed by Indonesia’s volatile geological landscape.
