Mount Ibu In Halamhera Erupts 7 Times,UMbuskan Abu As High As 1.2 Km

Mount Ibu in West Halmahera, North Maluku (Malut). (doc BNPB)

MALUKU - Mount Ibu on Halmahera Island, North Maluku (Malut) erupted seven times on Wednesday, July 17 morning until this afternoon.

Head of the Geological Agency M Wafid said the mountain blew ash as high as 300 meters-1.2 kilometers (km) into the air from the top of the crater.

He explained that the first eruption occurred at 08.08 WIT which was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 26 mm and lasted for 3 minutes 38 seconds.

Two more eruptions occurred just one hour apart from before, this time recorded with a maximum amplitude of 9 mm which lasted 1 minute 49 seconds.

Then about two hours later followed by a bigger eruption. Mount Ibu ejects ash as high as approximately 1 kilometer - 1.2 kilometers at 13.00 WIT and 14.53 WIT. This eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 28 mm and a duration of approximately 2 minutes 32 seconds.

The last two eruption activity was observed at 15.21 WIT and 15.43 WIT with a faster and shorter time.

Mount Ibu monitoring post officers in Tokuoko Village observed that from a series of eruptions, it appeared that the column of gray to black ash was high with moderate to thick intensity to northeast, east, and southeast.

Until now, Mount Ibu's volcanic activity is still at level III or standby.

Therefore, the Geological Agency appealed to the community around Mount Ibu and tourists not to move within a 4 kilometer radius and to expand sectorally 5 kilometers to the crater opening in the northern part of the active crater of Mount Ibu.

Likewise, if ash rains, people are expected to always wear masks or mouth coverings to avoid the dangers of respiratory system problems.

Mount Ibu is a volcano that has a peak height of 1,340 meters above sea level. Administratively, the mountain entered the area of Ibu District, West Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province.

Sangaji Nyeku, Goin, Tokuoko, Duono, Tuguis, and Togoreba Sungi villages in West Halmahera Regency are a number of nearby residential areas from the direction of the crater opening of Mount Ibu.

People in these villages were evacuated to refugee camps outside the village when Mount Ibu was in Alert status on the second basis of May 2024. However, a few days ago they had been brought back to their respective homes by the local government because the status of Mount Ibu had dropped to Alert.