Indonesia raises volcano alert level after mount Ibu eruption
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) in Indonesia has escalated the alert status for Mount Ibu on Halmahera Island, North Maluku province, following heightened volcanic activity.
Mount Ibu, standing at approximately 1,300 meters above sea level, erupted on Thursday morning around 10 a.m. local time, projecting ash up to 5,000 meters above its summit.
PVMBG reported that volcanic activity, including earthquakes and ash emissions, has been on the rise since the middle of last month. As a precautionary measure, authorities have advised people to steer clear of a four-kilometer radius danger zone around the volcano.
Additionally, vigilance is urged within a seven-kilometer extended danger zone on the northern sector, due to increased possibilities of sudden and hazardous phreatic eruptions.
Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia boasts one of the world's highest concentrations of volcanoes. The escalation in Mount Ibu's activity underscores the country's ongoing geological challenges. (ILKHA)