Mount Ibu Erupts Again This Afternoon, Ash Column Reaches 600 Meters Above Peak

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Sunday (March 22, 2026) at 12:15 WIT. In the past week, Mount Ibu has erupted 29 times.

Quoting eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the observed ash column height is around 600 meters above the peak or 1,925 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 40 seconds.

(Read: Data on the Number of Houses Submerged Due to Natural Disasters in Indonesia in 2014-2014)

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcano activity report, Mount Ibu's activity level is at Level II (Warning). Earthquake observations on March 22, 2026 from 00:00-23:59 WIT showed 127 eruption/explosion earthquakes with an amplitude of 10-28 millimeters and a duration of 31-86 seconds.

Then, 1 emission earthquake with an amplitude of 6 millimeters and a duration of 39 seconds, as well as 12 harmonic earthquakes with an amplitude of 2-28 millimeters and a duration of 46-115 seconds.

PVMBG advises 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 1,118 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java has the most eruptions (603 eruptions) while Mount Ibu has erupted 444 times.

(Read: There Are Nearly 300 Natural Disasters Until Mid-February 2024)