Mount Ibu, a volcano situated in Indonesia's North Maluku province, recently erupted, ejecting dense grey ash and dark clouds up to 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) into the sky for approximately five minutes, as confirmed by officials.
Hendra Gunawan, the head of the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, remarked, "The volcanic tremors remain strong, indicating a potential for further eruption." Following the eruption, which occurred on Friday, the alert level for Mount Ibu was raised from 2 to 3, the second-highest level. This elevation in alert status expands the radius of the area that should be evacuated.
Although local authorities have set up evacuation tents, no formal evacuation order has been issued. However, officials have advised both residents and tourists to avoid any activities within five kilometers (three miles) of Mount Ibu's crater.
Gunawan mentioned that more than 13,000 people reside within a 5km radius of the northern side of the crater. Mount Ibu, standing at 1,325 meters (4,347 feet) tall, is situated on the north-west coast of the remote island of Halmahera.
Indonesia, an archipelago with a population of 270 million people, is home to 120 active volcanoes. The country is susceptible to volcanic activity due to its location along the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.