Indonesia continues evacuations in response to volcanic eruption

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Hundreds of residents were evacuated from Indonesia’s Halmahera Island after the local government launched a high-level emergency response in the shadow of the volcanic eruption of Mount Ibu.

The residents were evacuated starting Wednesday from six villages near the eruption zone with the help of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, the military, police, and other related agencies.

Irfan Idrus, the disaster agency's local head, said that the evacuation was carried out after Ibu’s alert status was raised, according to Antara News.

The eruption of the volcano, located on Halmahera Island, created a four-kilometer (2.5 mile) column of smoke above the peak, said the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency.

The eruption lasted over two minutes, according to the agency.

The public was warned by authorities not to approach the four-kilometer (2.4-mile) radius of the mountain and a sectoral expansion of six km (3.7 mi) towards the crater.

Indonesia, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, sees the highest level of seismic activity and volcanic eruptions globally, with over 120 active volcanoes.