Indonesia's Mount Ibu erupts again, spews huge ash tower
A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Monday (May 13), spewing a huge ash tower more than 5km into the sky after authorities raised its alert level to the second-highest last week.
A volcano in eastern Indonesia, Ibu, erupted, spewing ash over 5km into the sky, prompting authorities to raise the alert level. No immediate damage or casualties were reported, but residents were advised to wear protective gear against falling ash.
No damage or casualties were immediately reported, but images showed a column of ash soaring into the sky on Halmahera island in North Maluku province.
On Saturday, the volcano erupted on a smaller scale, spewing lava and belching ash several kilometres into the night sky and causing lightning.
The alert level remained at the second-highest of a four-tiered system on Monday after authorities raised it last week, with an exclusion zone between three and five kilometers (two to three miles) around the volcano's crater.
Ibu is one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, erupting more than 21,000 times last year.
Geology Agency official Sofyan Primulyana said Ibu recorded an average of 58 eruptions per day in 2023.
Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire".
Last month, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province erupted more than half a dozen times, forcing thousands of residents of nearby islands to evacuate and it remains at the highest alert level.
All of the 800 or so residents of Ruang Island will be permanently relocated.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
