Indonesia's Mount Ibu eruption sends lava, ash soaring 4 km into sky

Mount Ibu, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, erupted on Saturday evening, spewing hot lava and a towering column of smoke and ash reaching up to four kilometres. The eruption occurred at 7:45 pm local time on Halmahera Island, North Maluku, according to the Geological Agency.  

"The lava was observed two kilometres from the eruption centre," said Muhammad Wafid, head of the Geological Agency, in a statement. The volcano remains at the second-highest alert level, underscoring the potential for further activity.  

While no new evacuation orders have been issued, authorities have advised visitors and residents to avoid areas within a 4 to 5.5-kilometre radius of the peak as a precaution.  

Mount Ibu has a history of intense activity, recording over 2,000 eruptions in 2023 alone. Halmahera Island, home to more than 700,000 people as of 2022, remains under close watch as officials monitor the situation.