Monday Morning, The Eruption Of Mount Dukono, North Maluku Continues To Increase

The eruption of new materials as high as approximately 2,300 meters that came out of the crater of Mount Dukono on Halmahera Island, North Maluku, Monday (20/11/2023). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Mount Dukono located north of Halmahera Island, North Maluku, again experienced an eruption by ejecting volcanic ash as high as 2,300 meters from the top of the volcano. "The eruption occurred at 05.59 WIT. The height of the eruption column was observed to be approximately 2,300 meters," said Mount Dukono Observation Post Officer Korono Roboo quoted by ANTARA, Monday, November 20.Sarjan said the volcanic ash column appeared white to grayish with thick intensity towards the east. PVMBG appealed to people around Mount Dukono not to move, climb, and approach the Malumpang Warirang Crater within a two-kilometer radius.PVMBG recommends the public to always provide masks to avoid the threat of volcanic ash in the respiratory system. Head of PVMBG Hendra Gunawan revealed that the seismic activity of Mount Dukono had begun to decline, however the observed eruption energy of the ash column increased high. He asked the public to always be alert and active as usual. Along November 19, 2023, in the period from 00.00 to 24.00 WIT, PVMBG recorded the appearance of a main white, gray, and black crater smoke with a thick intensity as high as 100 to 2,600 meters from the summit. Four sub-districts affected by volcanic ash due to the eruption, namely North Tobelo, North Tobelo, Tobelo, Central Tobelo and South Tobelo Districts. In addition, there were 16 eruption earthquakes with an amplitude of 7 to 34 millimeters and long earthquakes of 41.34 to 74.95 seconds. Then, there were 1 times the tremor earthquake with an amplitude of 0.5 to 4 millimeters. Dukono Flats with a height of 1,335 meters are currently at level II or alert. The closest settlements were at a distance of 11 kilometers from the peak of the volcano. Along January 1 to November 20, 2023, PVMBG recorded the number of eruptions that occurred in Mount Dukono there were 26 eruptions.

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 in nature that produces ash, incandescent stones, pyroclastic flows, and lava flows.