Thousands of people in eastern Indonesia are being evacuated following a volcanic eruption that sent a massive plume of smoke and ash into the sky, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
Mount Ibu, located on the island of Halmahera, erupted for the fifth time this year on Wednesday, with the eruption sending ash clouds up to four kilometers high. In response, Indonesia’s Geological Agency raised the volcano’s alert level to the highest tier.
Local disaster management chief Wawan Gunawan Ali announced that evacuations would begin immediately in five villages, with approximately 3,000 residents scheduled to be relocated by Wednesday evening.
An AFP reporter on site observed that many residents had already gathered in a village hall, preparing for the evacuation. Mount Ibu has shown increased volcanic activity since June, following a series of earthquakes. In early January alone, the volcano, one of the countryβs most active, erupted four times.
Authorities have warned residents and tourists to stay at least five to six kilometers away from the volcano and advised wearing face masks to protect against falling ash.
As of 2022, Halmahera island was home to around 700,000 people. Indonesia, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, is prone to frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
This eruption follows several others, including the deadly eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores Island in November, which killed nine people. Additionally, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province erupted multiple times last year, displacing thousands.
