Ibu volcano (Halmahera, Indonesia): explosions continue

The powerful eruption from Ibu volcano yesterday (image: PVMBG)

The eruptive activity continues.

The volcano’s behavior is characterized by a combination of near-constant moderate and sporadic strong vulcanian-type explosions from the caldera’s cinder cone over the past few weeks.

Such powerful eruption appeared at 11:41 local time yesterday and generated a grey ash plume rising about 2 km above the crater. Ash emissions extended south-southwest.

The continuing lava dome is actively growing as viscous magma continues to rise into it and form a faint glow on the top of the dome. Thus, it extrudes lava dome blocks into slowly advancing lava flow (so-called coulée) on the northern flank.

In order to mitigate risk, people are advised to avoid the area within a radius of 2 km and 3.5 km from the crater.

Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi volcano activity update 8 March 2024

Dense ash emissions and the crater glow from Ibu volcano as seen from satellite on 5 March (image: Sentinel-2)