Authorities Order Evacuations as Mount Ibu Erupts in Indonesia

Indonesian authorities ordered the evacuation of residents from several villages on the remote island of Halmahera after a fresh volcanic eruption at Mount Ibu on May 18, Anadolu Agency reported today.

The eruption sent a grey ash cloud up to 4 kilometers into the air, prompting a joint response from police, military, and search-and-rescue officials, the news agency added.

While the exact number of evacuees was not provided, a 7-kilometer radius around the volcano has been cleared, the source mentioned.

This latest eruption comes after Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation raised the alert level for Mount Ibu to the highest level on May 16, following multiple eruptions earlier in the month.

Indonesia, situated along the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, is home to 127 active volcanoes and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.