RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Mount Dukono in Halmahera Island, North Maluku Province, erupted once again on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 6:49 a.m. local time, spewing a thick ash column approximately 3,200 meters above its peak.

The Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center (PVMBG) reported that the volcanic ash column reached an altitude of roughly 4,287 meters above sea level and was observed drifting toward the northwest.

"The ash column was observed to be white to gray in color, with a thick intensity leaning toward the northwest," PVMBG stated in its official report.

The eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 27 millimeters and a duration of approximately 79 seconds. Volcanic activity at Dukono Volcano has remained consistently high over the past few days.

The Geological Agency noted that between May 9 and May 14, 2026, the volcano averaged 48 eruptions per day, with ash columns ranging from 600 meters to 4,300 meters above the summit.

Prior to this, on May 8, 2026, Dukono Volcano experienced a major eruption, with the ash column reaching around 10,000 meters above the peak. The volcano's activity status currently remains at Level II or Caution.

PVMBG has recommended that residents, tourists, and climbers refrain from conducting activities, hiking, or approaching the Malupang Warirang Crater within a four-kilometer radius of the eruptive center.

Furthermore, PVMBG warned that periodic eruptions accompanied by volcanic ash are still highly likely to occur, with the direction of the ash distribution depending on wind conditions. Consequently, residents living around Dukono Volcano are urged to always prepare masks or nose and mouth coverings to mitigate the respiratory impacts of the volcanic ash. (Annaila Azzahra/EN)