Mount Ibu Eruption Still Ongoing, Hot Clouds Soar As High As 4 KM

Eruption. Mount Mrs. North Maluku (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The volcanic ash soared as high as approximately four kilometers due to the eruption that occurred on Mount Ibu which is located on Halmahera Island, North Maluku.

Mount Ibu Observation Post Officer Axl Roeroe said the eruption occurred this morning at 08.00 WIT.

"The ash column was observed to be gray with thick intensity to the west," he said in a report received in Jakarta, quoted from ANTARA, Friday, May 17.

Roeroe appealed to the people around Mount Ibu to wear mouth and nose protection masks, as well as glasses to avoid the impact of volcanic ash which can spread in all directions due to the gusts of wind.

On May 16, 2024 at 15.00 WIT, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) officially raised the status of Mount Ibu from Alert or Level III to Alert or Level IV.

The decision to raise that status was due to an increase in the number of earthquakes and eruptions of volcanic ash which tended to be higher than usual.

On May 1-15, 2024, the earthquake recorded on Mount Ibu was 40 earthquakes, seven earthquake avalanches, 1,850 earthquake gusts, 49 earthquakes harmonic, and 13 tornillo earthquakes.

Then as many as 7,590 shallow volcanic earthquakes, 80 deep volcanic earthquakes, one local tectonic earthquake, 132 distant tectonic earthquakes, and one earthquake was felt.

Meanwhile, on May 16, 2024, the Geological Agency recorded four earthquakes of eruption, 2 earthquake avalanches, 241 earthquake gusts, 28 times harmonic, 1,911 shallow volcanic earthquakes, 26 times deep volcanic earthquakes, one local tectonic earthquake, and nine distant tectonic earthquakes.

Mount Ibu is a strato-type volcano and has a peak height of 1,340 meters above sea level (masl). Administratively included in the area of Ibu District, West Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province.

The Geological Agency made visual and instrumental observations of the volcanic observation post located in Gam Ici Village, Ibu District, West Halmahera Regency, North Maluku.