Indonesia’s Ibu volcano erupted on Monday morning, releasing dense plumes of grey ash several kilometers into the air, according to the country’s volcanology agency.
Officials reported that the volcano on the secluded island of Halmahera erupted at 9:12 a.m. (0012 GMT) for approximately five minutes, propelling ash into the atmosphere up to 5 km (3.1 miles) high.
A smaller eruption was also recorded on Friday. The alert status of the Ibu volcano remains at the second-highest level, Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre, said in a statement. He added that authorities prohibited all activities within a five-kilometer radius of the volcano. “If it starts to rain ash, we recommend people who are near the volcano to wear a mask and glasses,” Hendra said. Footage of the eruption shared by the centre showed clouds of grey ash billowing from the crater.
The official said a booming noise was also heard. Authorities have not reported evacuating any residents so far. Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and has 127 active volcanoes, according to the volcanology agency. In recent weeks North Sulawesi’s Ruang volcano has erupted, spewing incandescent lava as lightning flashed from its crater. The eruption prompted authorities to evacuate more than 12,000 people living on a nearby island. In December, Marapi volcano, one of Sumatra’s most active volcanoes, erupted and emitted grey clouds of ash as high as 3 km, resulting in the deaths of more than 20 people.
