Warning! Mount Ibu Erupts Again This Afternoon (Sunday, January 4, 2026)

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Sunday (1/4/2026) at 2:18 PM WIT. In the last week, Mount Ibu has erupted 23 times.

Based on eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the height of the observed ash column reached 600 meters above the peak or 1,925 meters above sea level.

The ash column was observed to be gray with thick intensity towards the southwest. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 28 millimeters and a duration of 53 seconds.

(Read: Number of Moderately Damaged Houses Due to Natural Disasters in Indonesia 2015-2024)

According to MAGMA Indonesia's volcano activity report, the activity level of Mount Ibu is at Level II (Alert). Seismicity observations on January 4, 2026, from 00:00-23:59 WIT showed 104 eruption earthquakes with amplitudes of 13-28 millimeters and earthquake durations of 35-96 seconds.

Subsequently, there were 2 exhalation earthquakes with amplitudes of 2-8 millimeters and durations of 49-55 seconds, and 10 harmonic earthquakes with amplitudes of 2-15 millimeters and durations of 43-160 seconds.

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

Throughout 2026, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 58 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java had the most eruptions (35 times), while Mount Ibu erupted 23 times.

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