Indonesia Indonesian volcano Ibu erupts
The Ibu volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Saturday, spewing lava and an ash cloud around four kilometers high. The lava was sighted two kilometers away from the eruption site, according to the country's volcanology authority.
11.01.2025, 17:32
SDA
A high column of flames was observed above the summit of the volcano on the island of Halmahera. According to the authorities, the first eruption occurred at around 07:45 (local time, 12:45 CET). Images showed a bright red column of flame and thick, dark smoke rising high above the volcanic crater.
The authorities declared the second-highest volcano alert level. Around 700,000 people live on the island of Halmahera, which is part of the Moluccas archipelago.
Ibu is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, having erupted more than 2,000 times last year. Although no evacuation order was issued on Saturday, visitors and villagers were asked to leave the area within a radius of four to 5.5 kilometers around the volcano. The authorities also called on people to wear face masks and goggles in case of ashfall.
With more than 17,000 islands, the island nation of Indonesia lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates collide. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are therefore frequent.
