The Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) reported that activity at Ibu continued during 9-16 October. Daily gray or white-and-gray ash plumes that were sometimes dense generally rose 0.1-2 km above the summit and drifted NW, W, and SW; only white plumes were visible rising 100-200 m and drifting NE, SW, and W on 12 October. Some of the webcam images posted with the reports showed incandescence visible above the crater rim. At 0126 on 16 October an ash plume rose 4 km above the summit and drifted N and NE. The Alert Level remained at 3 (the second highest level on a four-level scale) and the public was advised to stay 4 km away from the active crater and 5 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.

Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM)