The stratovolcano located on Mount Ibu still worries the inhabitants of the Indonesian island of Halmahera. On Sunday alone, there were several eruptions, and a thick cloud of ash emerged from the crater.
In January, Mount Ibu, a stratovolcano located in eastern Indonesia, erupted more than a thousand times, according to a report published on Sunday by the Indonesian Geological Survey. The volcano is located on the island of Halmahera in the Maluku archipelago.
Strong eruption and evacuation of the population
On Wednesday, there was a strong eruption of the stratovolcano. According to local media, thick smoke emerged from the crater and rose to a height of about four kilometers. The authorities ordered the evacuation of three thousand people living in the Mount Ibu area.
As AFP writes, Wednesday's eruption was one of 1,079 eruptions of this stratovolcano registered since January 1 by the Indonesian Geological Agency.
Stratovolcano eruption on Mount Ibu in Indonesia PAP/EPA/PAGE
The last, quite strong eruption was recorded on Sunday at 1:15 a.m. local time. The ash cloud that emerged from the crater rose to a height of 1.5 kilometers.
“The ash cloud was thick and drifting. A loud rumbling sound could be heard,” the Indonesian Geological Agency wrote in a statement. She added that a total of 17 eruptions were recorded on Sunday alone.
Despite deciding to evacuate several thousand residents, the authorities managed to transport only 517 people to safe places by Sunday. Many people have refused to evacuate as the harvest continues.
– Many people are harvesting now. We will continue to educate communities and encourage evacuation, said Adietya Yuni Nurtono, military commander of Ternate District.
Indonesia is located in the so-called The Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. There are approximately 127 active volcanoes in this country alone.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/PAGE