Mount Ibu Erupts Again Tonight (Friday, January 16, 2026)

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Friday (1/16/2026) at 7:27 PM WIT. In the last week, Mount Ibu has erupted 20 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 300 meters above the peak (1,625 meters above sea level).

The ash column was observed to be gray with thick intensity towards the northeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 28 millimeters and a duration of 60 seconds.

(Read: Volcanic Eruption Trends in Recent Years)

According to MAGMA Indonesia's volcano activity report, Mount Ibu's activity level is at Level II (Alert). Seismicity observations on January 16, 2026, from 00:00-23:59 WIT showed 115 eruption/explosion earthquakes with amplitudes of 12-28 millimeters and earthquake durations of 37-79 seconds.

Additionally, there was 1 exhalation earthquake with an amplitude of 8 millimeters and a duration of 38 seconds, and 9 harmonic earthquakes with amplitudes of 2-7 millimeters and durations of 46-121 seconds.

PVMBG advises 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 227 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java had the most eruptions (129 times), while Mount Ibu erupted 85 times.

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