Mount Ibu Eruption With Volcanic Ash Colonium As High As 1,500 Meters

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) reported an eruption that resulted in volcanic ash ejection as high as approximately 1,500 meters on Mount Mother, located northwest of Halmahera Island, North Maluku.

Mount Axl Roeroe, an officer of the Mount Observation Post, said that due to the eruption which took place at 11.11 WIT, there was a power outage.

"The ash column was observed to be gray with thick intensity leaning towards the northeast," Roeroe said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 8.

Mount Ibu has a height of 1,325 meters above sea level located northwest of Halmahera Island, North Maluku.

The top of the mountain is a volcanic crater. The crater center has a width of 1 kilometer and a depth of 400 meters, while the outer part has a width of 1.2 kilometers.

Mount Ibu, which has level II status or is alert, has fairly active volcanic activity.

PVMBG urges residents not to move within a two-kilometer radius and to expand sectorally within 3.5 kilometers towards the crater opening in the northern part of the active crater of Mount Ibu.

"If there is ash rain, people who are active outside the home are advised to use a nose shield, mouth-mask and eyes-glass," said Roeroe.