An urgent warning has been issued after a huge volcano erupted, spewing thick grey ash and dark clouds 5,000 metres into the sky.
Local residents living near Mount Ibu, a volcano in Indonesia’s North Maluku province, have been advised to wear face masks and glasses to protect themselves from the falling ash. No damage or casualties have been reported so far – but residents have been warned not to go within three miles of the crater.
« The volcanic earthquakes are still intense so there is a potential for a future eruption, » warned Hendra Gunawan, chief of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
He added: « If it starts to rain ash, we recommend people who are near the volcano to wear a mask and glasses. »
Officials have urged residents and tourists to avoid any activities within three miles of Mount Ibu’s crater. More than 13,000 people reside within this three-mile radius on the northern side of the crater, the Mirror reports.
Following a minor eruption last Friday, the centre elevated the alert level for the volcano from 2 to 3, the second-highest level. This expands the radius of the area that should be evacuated.
Local authorities have set up evacuation tents, although no evacuation orders have been issued as yet.
The towering volcano, standing at 1,325 meters, dominates the northwest coastline of the secluded island of Halmahera. Indonesia, home to a staggering 270 million residents, is dotted with 120 active volcanoes due to its location on the « Ring of Fire, » the Pacific Ocean’s arc of seismic fault lines where volcanic eruptions are frequent.
Source link
