JAKARTA – A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted today, sending a column of ash 1,500m above the peak and forcing nearby residents to wear masks and goggles, officials said, reported German news agency.
Mount Ibu, located on Halmahera Island in North Maluku province, spewed grey ash that was drifting north-eastwards, according to the Geological Agency of Indonesia. The eruption lasted for 96 seconds, the agency said.
The agency urged people living around the volcano and visitors to stay outside a 2km radius from the crater and a 3.5km zone in the north. It also advised people to protect their eyes, nose, and mouth from ash if it rains.
Mount Ibu is one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a vast archipelago prone to seismic upheavals due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. – September 25, 2023