Indonesia’s Mount Ibu volcano unleashed a dramatic eruption on Tuesday, sending thick columns of grey ash shooting five kilometers (three miles) into the sky, according to the country’s volcanology agency. Despite the intense activity, there were no immediate reports of evacuations.
The eruption, which occurred at 5:36 a.m. local time on the eastern island of Halmahera, lasted approximately two minutes, stated Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari, an official from the PVMB agency. A safety perimeter of seven kilometers (4.4 miles) around the crater was established, prohibiting all activities.
“The recent heightened volcanic activity is due to intense magma movement,” explained Heruningtyas, noting that the volcano’s alert status had been raised to the highest level since May 16.
Video footage provided by the PVMB agency captured clouds of grey ash billowing from the crater, following a smaller eruption the day before.
These eruptions mark the latest events in a series since May, prompting authorities to evacuate seven nearby villages. However, the eruption on Tuesday did not necessitate any additional evacuations, stated the BNPB disaster agency.
Indonesia, situated along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent seismic activity due to the convergence of multiple tectonic plates.
In recent weeks, volcanic activity has been notable across the archipelago. The eruption of the Ruang volcano in North Sulawesi last month ejected incandescent lava, leading to the evacuation of over 12,000 individuals.
Additionally, tragic incidents, including flash floods and cold lava flows from Mount Marapi in West Sumatra, resulted in the loss of more than 60 lives following heavy rainfall on May 11.
