BNPB: The Number Of Refugees From Mount Ibu Eruption Increases To 221 People

The number of residents who fled to avoid the impact of the eruption of Mount Ibu in West Halmahera, North Maluku, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has again increased to 221 people.

Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Abdul Muhari said the hundreds of residents came from Sangaji Nyeku Village, which is a nearby village with a distance of 3.7 kilometers from the active crater opening of Mount Ibu so that local residents had to be evacuated.

BNPB confirmed that hundreds of people fled to the Tongotesungi Church in Akesibu Village, Ibu District, West Halmahera Regency, which has been confirmed safe by the local government.

Furthermore, Abdul said that today the evacuation will be carried out for residents from Sosangak Village, Tuguis, Togoreba Sungi, I Borona, and Tokoke in Tabaru District, West Halmahera. BNPB based on the emergency response experience of the eruption of Mount Ibu in May 2024 estimates that the total number of residents who will be evacuated is approximately 3,000 people

This is done as recommended by the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources that the five villages are in the Gunung Ibu eruption-prone zone and have the potential risk of lava or incandescent lava from Mount Ibu so that it needs to be evacuated to avoid potential hazards.

"The evacuation process for the residents will later be assisted by local TNI personnel," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, January 17.

The status of Mount Ibu activity in West Halmahera, North Maluku was upgraded from previously Alert to Alert or level IV, on Wednesday (15/1) afternoon by the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

The increase in status was carried out after the Geological Agency team detected a significant increase in Mount Ibu's volcanic activity in the period 1-14 January 2025. As of Friday afternoon at 12.00 WIT, the eruption was still ongoing with an average height of the ash column being observed at 700 meters above the peak.

The eruption of Mount Ibu was recorded on the seismogram of the Volcano Observation Post in Gam Ici Village, Ibu District, West Halmahera, with a maximum amplitude of 28 mm and a duration of 41 seconds.B

The Geological Agency in its recommendation appealed to the community around Mount Ibu and tourists not to move within a 5 kilometer radius and to expand sectorally 6 kilometers to the crater opening in the northern part of the active crater of Mount Ibu.

To maximize emergency efforts, the West Halmahera Regency Government has set an emergency response status for 14 days which will take effect on January 15, 2025.