Indonesia Evacuates Residents as Mount Ibu Erupts

Authorities in eastern Indonesia have evacuated hundreds of people near Mount Ibu, located on remote Halmahera island, after the volcano erupted twice on consecutive days. The alert status for Mount Ibu was raised to the highest level of a four-tiered system on May 16, prompting residents in seven nearby villages to evacuate to shelters.

As of Friday morning, around 400 people had been evacuated as a preventive measure, with authorities citing the 7-kilometre exclusion zone around the volcano. Mount Ibu continued to erupt on Friday, sending volcanic ash 4,000 metres into the sky. Residents and tourists were advised to stay out of the exclusion zone and wear face masks due to falling ash. Indonesia, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, experiences frequent volcanic activity, with Mount Ibu being one of the country’s most active volcanoes.