Mount Ibu Erupts Friday Morning, Status Raised to Highest Alert Level

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 7:22 a.m. WIT. In the last week, Mount Ibu has erupted 8 times.

According to eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the observed ash column height reached 800 meters above the peak (2,125 meters above sea level).

The ash column was observed to be gray with moderate intensity towards the southwest. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 8 millimeters and a duration of 102 seconds.

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcano activity report, Mount Ibu's activity level is at Level IV (Alert). Observations of seismic activity on May 31, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. WIT showed 7 instances of puffing tremors with amplitudes of 2-14 millimeters and durations of 10-15 seconds.

Then, 1 harmonic tremor with an amplitude of 2 millimeters and a duration of 65 seconds, and 33 shallow volcanic earthquakes with amplitudes of 2-14 millimeters and durations of 6-12 seconds.

PVMBG urges the public around Mount Ibu and visitors/tourists not to engage in activities within a 4-kilometer radius and a sectoral extension of 7 kilometers towards the crater opening in the northern part of Mount Ibu's active crater.

During 2024, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 832 volcanic eruptions/eruptions throughout Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java had the most eruptions (331 times), while Mount Ibu erupted 99 times.