Mount Ibu Erupts Again This Afternoon, Ash Column Height Around 300 Meters

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Saturday (April 18, 2026) at 16:21 WIT. In the last week, Mount Ibu has erupted 35 times.

Based on eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the observed ash column height is around 300 meters above the peak or 1,625 meters above sea level.

The ash column was observed to be gray with moderate intensity towards the southeast. The eruption was recorded on the seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 28 millimeters and a duration of 43 seconds.

(Read: Number of Natural Disaster Victims in Indonesia as of July 8, 2025)

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcano activity report, Mount Ibu's activity level is at Level II (Warning). Earthquake observations on April 18, 2026 from 00:00-23:59 WIT showed 120 eruption/explosion earthquakes with an amplitude of 15-28 millimeters and a duration of 34-71 seconds.

Then, 3 emission earthquakes with an amplitude of 4-10 millimeters and a duration of 33-34 seconds as well as 13 harmonic earthquakes with an amplitude of 2-28 millimeters and a duration of 31-126 seconds.

PVMBG urges residents around Mount Ibu and visitors/tourists not to carry out activities within a 2-kilometer radius and a sectoral extension of 3.5 kilometers towards the crater opening in the northern part of Mount Ibu's active crater.

Throughout 2026, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 1,549 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java has the most eruptions (826 eruptions) while Mount Ibu has erupted 560 times.

(Read: Number of Affected-Displaced Victims Due to Natural Disasters in Indonesia 2015-2024)