Mount Ibu Erupts Again Tonight (Saturday, January 17, 2026)

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Saturday (17/1/2026) at 19:17 WIT. In the last week, Mount Ibu has erupted 26 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 400 meters above the peak (1,725 meters above sea level).

The ash column was observed to be grey with thick intensity towards the east. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 28 millimeters and a duration of 46 seconds.

(Read: Trends in Volcanic Eruptions 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 17, 2026, from 00:00-23:59 WIT showed 103 eruption/explosion earthquakes with amplitudes of 16-28 millimeters and durations of 36-72 seconds.

Then, 2 puff earthquakes with amplitudes of 3-6 millimeters and durations of 39-41 seconds, and 14 harmonic earthquakes with amplitudes of 2-28 millimeters and durations of 36-117 seconds.

PVMBG urges 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 241 volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. Mount Semeru in East Java had the most eruptions (134 times) while Mount Ibu erupted 91 times.

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