Warning! Mount Ibu Erupts Again This Afternoon (Wednesday, March 18, 2026)

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) at 16:44 WIT. In the past week, Mount Ibu has erupted 13 times.

Quoting eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the observed ash column height reached 700 meters above the peak (2,025 meters above sea level).

The ash column was observed to be white to gray with moderate to thick intensity towards the southeast. The eruption of Mount Ibu was still ongoing when this report was made.

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

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcano activity report, the activity level of Mount Ibu is at Level II (Warning). Earthquake observations on March 18, 2026 from 00:00 to 23:59 WIT showed 132 eruption/explosion earthquakes with an amplitude of 11-28 millimeters and a duration of 35-77 seconds.

Then, 17 harmonic earthquakes with an amplitude of 2-20 millimeters and a duration of 35-149 seconds, as well as 128 low-frequency earthquakes with an amplitude of 2-10 millimeters and a duration of 17-29 seconds.

PVMBG advises the public 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 1,079 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java erupted the most (583 times) while Mount Ibu erupted 428 times.

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