Alert! Mount Ibu Erupts Again Tonight (Tuesday, March 17, 2026)

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) at 18:30 WIT. In the past week, Mount Ibu has erupted 7 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 approximately 600 meters above the peak or 1,925 meters above sea level.

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

(Read: Trends in Volcanic Eruptions in Recent Years)

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcanic activity report, the activity level of Mount Ibu is at Level II (Alert). Earthquake observations on March 17, 2026, from 00:00-23:59 WIT showed 114 eruption/explosion earthquakes with an amplitude of 15-28 millimeters and a duration of 34-69 seconds.

Then, 12 harmonic earthquakes with an amplitude of 2-28 millimeters and a duration of 36-130 seconds, as well as 101 low-frequency earthquakes with an amplitude of 2-10 millimeters and a duration of 17-29 seconds.

PVMBG advises residents around Mount Ibu and visitors/tourists not to carry out 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 1,062 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java has the most eruptions (572 eruptions) while Mount Ibu has erupted 422 times.

(Read: Countries with the Most Active Volcanoes in the World, Indonesia Ranks First)