Geological Agency: Danger of Mount Ibu Eruption in North Maluku Still Far from Settlements

Photo of eruption activity at Mount Ibu Observation Post, North Maluku, Wednesday (11/10/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Geological Agency)

JAKARTA - Acting Head of the Geological Agency, Muhammad Wafid, stated that the threat of an eruption from Mount Ibu in North Maluku is still far from residential areas.

"The danger of eruption is still far from residential locations which are 6-7 kilometers from the crater," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 11.

He said that even though it is far from settlements, the people around Mount Ibu and visitors are not allowed to carry out activities within a 2 km radius and the sectoral expansion is 3.5 km towards the northern crater opening of the active crater.

Currently Mount Ibu is at level II or alert status. With this status, he advised the public to use life and mouth protectors or masks and glasses if ash rain occurs.

As previously reported, there was an eruption of Mount Ibu in North Maluku on October 11 2023 at 10.44 WIT with the height of the ash column observed being approximately 800 meters above the peak.

The ash column was observed to be gray in color with a thick intensity that tended towards the north.

"This eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 28 mm and a duration of ± 1 minute 13 seconds," said Wafid.