Mount Ibu's massive eruption in Indonesia sends ash plume soaring 5 km high; WATCH dramatic video
An eruption occurred on Monday at a volcano in eastern Indonesia's Mount Ibu, sending a massive ash plume towering more than five kilometers (three miles) into the sky.
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FollowAn eruption occurred on Monday at a volcano in eastern Indonesia's Mount Ibu, sending a massive ash plume towering more than five kilometers (three miles) into the sky. This event followed authorities' decision to raise the volcano's alert level to the second-highest last week.
While there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, images captured the dramatic sight of ash billowing into the air above Halmahera island in North Maluku province.
According to officials, the ash column reached a height exceeding five kilometers above the volcano's peak, marking one of the largest eruptions witnessed in recent months.
Muhammad Wafid, head of the Geology Agency, described the grey-black ash column as having "thick intensity, leaning towards the west," in a statement released on Monday. He urged nearby residents to wear facemasks and glasses when venturing outdoors to shield themselves from falling volcanic ash.
The volcano had experienced a smaller eruption on Saturday, emitting lava, ejecting ash several kilometers into the night sky, and generating lightning.
Despite the eruption, the alert level remained at the second-highest on Monday, part of a four-tiered system implemented by authorities last week. An exclusion zone spanning between three to five kilometers (two to three miles) around the volcano's crater was established.
Ibu is recognized as one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, having erupted over 21,000 times last year alone. Sofyan Primulyana, an official from the Geology Agency, disclosed that Ibu recorded an average of 58 eruptions per day in 2023.
Indonesia, positioned within the Pacific "Ring of Fire," frequently experiences seismic and volcanic events due to its geographical location.
In recent times, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province has erupted more than half a dozen times, compelling thousands of residents from neighboring islands to evacuate. The volcano remains at the highest alert level, prompting authorities to plan for the permanent relocation of all 800 or so residents of Ruang island.
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