Mount Ibu Sprays Volcanic Ash As High As 1,500 Meters

TERNATE - Mount Ibu in West Halmahera Regency, North Maluku, on Thursday at 15.44 WIT erupted again by ejecting volcanic ash as high as 1,500 meters above the top of the mountain.

"Yes, it is true that the eruption with a ashline height of 1,500 meters with a gray column of ash was observed with thick intensity leaning towards the west," said officer of the Volcano Observation Post (PGA), Mrs. Rivaldi Hasan, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, January 16.

The eruption of Mount Ibu was successfully recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 28 mm and a duration of 1 minute 38 seconds at the PGA Ibu Post in Gam Ici Village, Ibu District.

"Currently, the condition of the volcano with a height of 1,325 meters above sea level is now at Level IV or Alert status," he said.

Therefore, the people around Mount Ibu and tourists are asked not to move within a 5 kilometer radius and to expand sectorally within 6 kilometers towards the crater opening in the northern part of the active crater of Mount Ibu.

"If ash rains, people who are active outside the home are advised to wear masks and glasses, so they can avoid exposure to volcanic ash," he said.

Rivaldi also asked all parties to maintain the conduciveness of the atmosphere in society, not to spread false narratives (hoaxes), and not to be provoked by issues with unclear sources, and the public always follows directions from local governments.

The West Halmahera Regency Government must always coordinate with the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation in Bandung or with the Mount Ibu Observation Post at Gam Ici to get direct information about the activities of Mount Ibu.