Thousands flee as Indonesia raises Ibu volcano alert to highest level
Increased volcanic activity at Indonesia’s Ibu volcano prompted authorities to raise the Alert Level to 4 on January 15, 2025, and issue evacuation orders for some 3 000 people living in 6 villages near the volcano.
Ibu volcano eruption on January 12, 2025. Image credit: PVMBG
The Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG), Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, increased the Alert Level for Ibu volcano to IV (the highest) on January 15, following a series of eruptions with dense ash emissions up to 4 km (13 100 feet) above the summit and a 500 m (1 640 feet) long pyroclastic flow on January 15.
As a result, around 3 000 people living in 6 villages near Ibu were ordered to evacuate.
By Thursday morning, January 16, 517 residents from the village nearest to the volcano had been evacuated, with the remaining residents scheduled to be relocated later in the afternoon.
“The evacuation shelters have been prepared by the local administration, and today a full evacuation will be carried out for all residents in six villages,” said Irfan Idrus, a spokesman for the local disaster management agency.
Idrus added that evacuations began on Wednesday at 18:00 LT (11:00 GMT) but were delayed due to administrative and logistical issues. In addition, rainfall affecting the area since Thursday morning has further hampered the process.
Residents, visitors, and tourists are advised to avoid activities, climbing, or approaching Ibu within a 5 km (3.1 miles) radius and a 6 km (3.7 miles) sector extending from the crater opening in the northern part of the active crater.
If ashfall occurs, individuals outdoors are advised to use masks for nose and mouth protection and wear eye protection, such as glasses.
Residents beyond the 5 km radius and outside the 6 km sector are urged to remain vigilant and follow directives from the Regional Government.
Communities near Mount Ibu should be aware of the potential for lava flows in rivers originating from the peak, particularly during heavy rainfall.
Residents are urged to remain calm, avoid misinformation regarding the eruption, and follow guidance from the North Maluku Provincial BPBD, the West Halmahera Regency BPBD, and the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, Geological Agency in Bandung.
Ibu Volcano has been erupting since 2008. Its activity involves frequent ash emissions, dome growth within its inner crater, and occasional lava flows.
The volcano’s eruptive history includes activity in 1998 and 2008 marked by ash emissions and lava dome formation.
References:
1 Penyampaian Kenaikan Tingkat Aktivitas G. lbu Dari Level III (Siaga) Menjadi Level IV (Awas) – PVMBG – January 15, 2025
2 Ibu – GVP – Accessed on January 16, 2025
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.
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