The Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) reported that the eruption at Ibu continued during 16-22 January. Daily gray or white-and-gray ash plumes that were often dense rose as high as 1.5 km above the summit and drifted mainly NW, W, and SW. Webcam images posted with the reports often showed incandescence at the summit or being ejected above the summit of the inner active cone.

BNPB reported that following the increase in the Alert Level to the highest level the government issued a decree leading to the coordination of an emergency response and a task force, and that would be in effect for a two-week period. An emergency response team implemented the evacuation of resident in five villages that were deemed at a higher risk for impacts from the eruption. A total of 221 people were evacuated during 16-17 January, though more than 3,000 people were in higher risk locations; on 16 January residents were evacuated from Sangaji Nyeku, the closest village to the summit at 3.7 km, and on 17 January residents were evacuated from the villages of Sosangaji, Tuguis, Togoreba Sungi, Borona, and Todoke. Farmers harvesting nutmeg will be allowed to return to their gardens during daytime hours. According to a news report about 644 people had evacuated by 20 January. The Alert Level remained at 4 (the highest level on a four-level scale) and the public was advised to stay 5 km away from the active crater and 6 km away from the N crater wall opening.

Geological Summary. The truncated summit of Gunung Ibu stratovolcano along the NW coast of Halmahera Island has large nested summit craters. The inner crater, 1 km wide and 400 m deep, has contained several small crater lakes. The 1.2-km-wide outer crater is breached on the N, creating a steep-walled valley. A large cone grew ENE of the summit, and a smaller one to the WSW has fed a lava flow down the W flank. A group of maars is located below the N and W flanks. The first observed and recorded eruption was a small explosion from the summit crater in 1911. Eruptive activity began again in December 1998, producing a lava dome that eventually covered much of the floor of the inner summit crater along with ongoing explosive ash emissions.

Sources: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM), Badan Nacional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB), Antara News, Antara News