Mount Ibu Erupts Wednesday Afternoon, Status Raised to Alert

Mount Ibu in North Maluku erupted again on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 5:04 PM WIT. In the last week, Mount Ibu has erupted 11 times.

Based on eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the ash column height was observed to be approximately 500 meters above the peak or 1,825 meters above sea level.

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

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcano activity report, Mount Ibu's activity level is at Level III (Alert). Seismic observations on December 18, 2024, from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM WIT showed 36 eruption quakes with amplitudes of 2-28 millimeters and durations of 26.56-63.11 seconds.

Furthermore, there were 11 puffing quakes with amplitudes of 2-17 millimeters and durations of 16-43 seconds, and 14 harmonic tremors with amplitudes of 2-10 millimeters and durations of 26-43 seconds.

PVMBG advises the public around Mount Ibu and visitors/tourists not to engage in activities within a 3-kilometer radius and a 5-kilometer sectoral expansion towards the crater opening in the northern part of Mount Ibu's active crater.

During 2024, MAGMA Indonesia recorded 5,977 volcanic eruptions/eruptions throughout Indonesia. Mount Ibu in North Maluku had the most eruptions with 2,472.