Mount Ibu erupted

Mount Ibu, in Indonesia, photographed on January 11, 2025. HANDOUT / AFP Mount Ibu, a volcano in eastern Indonesia, erupted on Saturday January 11, spewing lava and projecting a column of smoke at an altitude of 4 kilometers, announced the geological agency Magma Indonesia. Located on the island of Halmahera in the Moluccas archipelago, the volcano, one of the most active in Indonesia, erupted at 7:45 p.m. local time (12:45 p.m. Paris time). “The lava was spotted 2 kilometers from the center of the eruption,” Muhammad Wafid, director of Magma Indonesia, said in a statement. Images from the volcano’s monitoring station showed a column of bright red flames and thick black smoke rising above the crater. Call to evacuate Mount Ibu, Indonesia, photographed on January 11, 2025. HANDOUT / AFP Visitors and villagers were asked to leave an area between 4 and 5.5 kilometers from the summit. The agency also asked people to wear masks and protective glasses in the event of volcanic ash rain. According to official data dating back to 2022, the island of Halmahera has more than 700,000 inhabitants. The vast Indonesian archipelago experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mount Ibu has experienced more than 2,000 eruptions in 2024. Last year, Mount Ruang in northern Sulawesi province erupted more than half a dozen times, forcing thousands to residents of neighboring islands to be evacuated. Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content



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