Sunday Morning, Mount Dukono North Maluku Erupted And Sprayed 2.6 KM Abu Volcanic

The eruption of new material as high as approximately 1,000 meters came out of the crater of Mount Dukono on Halmahera Island, North Maluku, Sunday (19/11/2023). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) recorded an eruption in the form of volcanic ash bursts as high as 2, Kilometers out of the crater of Mount Dukono in North Maluku. Mount Dukono Observation Post officer Bambang Sugiono in a report quoted by ANTARA, Sunday 19 November, said the eruption occurred at 07.24 WIT. "The ash column was observed to be white, gray to black with thick intensity to northeast and east. When this report was made, the eruption was still ongoing," he said. Bambang appealed to tourists not to be active, climbing, and to approach the Malumpang Warirang Crater within a two-kilometer radius. He also appealed to the community around Mount Dubono to always provide a mask or covering of the nose and mouth to avoid the threat of volcanic ash on the respiratory system. The Dukono Mountain which has a height of 1,335 meters is currently at Level II or Alert status. The closest settlement is at a distance of 11 kilometers from the peak of the volcano. On November 18, 2023 PVMBG recorded white and gray main crater smoke with a thick intensity as high as 200 to 3,000 meters from the volcanic peak. PVMBG observed 49 eruption earthquakes with an amplitude of 6 to 34 millimeters and a long earthquake of 30.36 to 73,14 seconds. In addition, he said, there were one local tectonic earthquake with an amplitude of 30 millimeters S-P 8.59 seconds, and a long earthquake of 62.37 seconds. Then, there were 17 distant tectonic earthquakes with an amplitude of 6 to 34 millimeters, S-P 11.05 to 43.57 seconds, and a long earthquake of 50,57 to 166,29 seconds. There were also one continuous tremor earthquake with an amplitude of 0.5 to 6 millimeters, but the amplitude was dominant of two millimeters.

Mount Dukono is about 14 kilometers southwest of Tobelo City which is the area with the most densely populated settlements in North Halmahera. The eruption activity of Mount Dukono is common for local residents considering the long history of the volcanic eruption. The volcanic eruption characteristics are explosive and effusive which produces ash, incandescent stone, pyroclastic flow, and lava flow. Throughout January 1 to November 19, 2023 PVMBG recorded the number of eruptions that occurred on Mount Dukono, there were 25 eruptions.