MOUNT Ibu, a volcano in North Maluku province, has alarmed residents and locals for showing signs of consistent volcanic activities since last week.
The alert level for the stratovolcano was raised from 3 to 4, the highest on the scale.
Mount Ibu has been spewing thick grey ash and dark clouds up to 16,400 feet into the air every day since last Friday, according to authorities.
Authorities advised residents and tourists to not conduct any activities within 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) of the crater and to be vigilant of any potential eruption.
The 4,347-foot volcano sits on the northwest coast of the remote island of Halmahera in North Maluku province.
Indonesia, an archipelago of 120 million people, sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” and has 120 active volcanoes.
The incident happened nearly a month after 2,379-foot Mt. Ruang in North Sulawesi erupted last month and forced authorities to issue evacuation orders for more than 11,000 people.
The eruption also canceled several flights in Malaysia and Singapore.
Mount Ibu’s alarming activities have been announced as residents in Indonesia are still recovering from severe flash floods that killed dozens of people while the search for the missing continues.
