Series of Eruptions at Mount Ibu; Ash Column Reaches 5km Height

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Geological Agency reported a series of eruptions of Maluku volcano, Mount Ibu, in North Maluku on Friday morning, August 16, 2024. 

The eruption that occurred at 02:52 a.m. local time, for example, produced an ash column of 5,000 meters above the mountain peak which is perched at 1,325 meters above sea level.

The eruption was reportedly accompanied by a loud boom and rumbling sound heard at the observation post. "We observed an approximately 500 meters high flame beam,” the report read, quoted from the Geological Agency's statement, Friday morning, August 16, 2024.

The resulting ash column was gray and thick. The eruption was recorded by a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of  28 mm and a duration of approximately 3 minutes and 12 seconds.

Another eruption occurred at 04:44 a.m., producing an ash column as high as 1,000 meters from the mountain peak. The Geological Agency reported the ash column as west-leaning, gray, and thick. The eruption was recorded with a maximum amplitude of 28 mm and a duration of approximately 1 minute and 9 seconds.

This morning at 07:14 a.m., another eruption occurred with an ash column of approximately 500 meters from Mount Ibu’s peak. The seismogram recorded the eruption with an amplitude of 8 mm and a duration of approximately 1 minute. The ash column produced was northwest-leaning, gray, and thick in intensity.

Currently, the Geological Agency has set the volcanic activity status of Mount Ibu at Alert Level III.

Residents and visitors are recommended to avoid carrying out activities within a radius of 4 kilometers and a sectoral expansion of 5 kilometers towards the crater opening in the northern part of the mountain's active crater. They are also advised to mask up and wear eye protection in case of ash rain. 

AHMAD FIKRI

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