Key Takeaways
- Mount Dukono on Halmahera erupted on Friday morning, sending an ash column roughly 10 km high and producing audible booming sounds.
- The eruption killed three people (including two foreigners) and left about 20 hikers missing; nine of the missing are reported to be Singaporean nationals.
- Authorities had closed the volcano’s surrounding area to visitors since 17 April after detecting heightened volcanic activity.
- Rescue teams, comprising dozens of police and local agency personnel, have been deployed to search for the missing hikers.
- Volcanic ash is drifting northward, prompting warnings for residents of Tobelo town about possible ashfall, while hazards from ejected rocks and potential lava flows remain.
- Mount Dukono is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, with nearly 200 eruptions recorded since March 2026.
- The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) continues to monitor the volcano and advises a 4 km exclusion zone around the Malupang Warirang crater.
- The incident underscores the risks of trekking in active volcanic zones despite official closures and the importance of heeding official warnings.
Eruption Details and Timing
Mount Dukono erupted at 07:41 a.m. local time on Friday (which corresponds to 22:41 GMT on Thursday). The explosive event generated a towering plume of volcanic ash that rose to an estimated altitude of 10 kilometres (about 6.2 miles) above the summit. Witnesses and monitoring stations reported a “weak to strong booming sound” accompanying the eruption, a typical acoustic signature of rapid gas expansion and fragmentation within the volcanic conduit. The eruption was captured by seismic and infrasound instruments operated by Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), confirming both the timing and the vigor of the explosivity. Such a high ash column poses immediate aviation hazards and can affect weather patterns over a broad region, while the associated sound waves can be heard tens of kilometres away, alerting nearby communities to the event even before visual confirmation.
Casualties and Missing Persons
The eruption’s immediate impact proved tragic: three individuals lost their lives, including two foreign nationals whose identities have not been disclosed in the initial reports. In addition to the fatalities, approximately twenty hikers are reported as missing after being caught in the eruption’s vicinity. Iwan Ramdani, head of the local rescue agency, informed Reuters that nine of the missing hikers are from Singapore, highlighting the international dimension of the incident. The missing persons are believed to have been on the slopes of Mount Dukono when the eruption commenced, likely unable to evacuate quickly enough due to the sudden onset of ashfall and ballistic projectiles. Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams combing the hazardous terrain despite continuing volcanic activity and poor visibility caused by ash clouds.
Area Closure and Pre‑Eruption Warnings
Long before the eruption, authorities had recognized increasing unrest at Mount Dukono. Since 17 April, the Malupang Warirang crater—the volcano’s primary vent—had been placed under a temporary closure order for visitors and hikers. This precautionary measure followed observations of heightened seismicity, ground deformation, and elevated gas emissions, all indicative of magma moving closer to the surface. PVMBG had issued advisories urging the public to maintain a safe distance of at least four kilometres from the crater and to stay informed through official channels. Despite these warnings, a group of hikers ventured into the restricted zone, underscoring the challenges authorities face in enforcing access controls in popular trekking destinations where voluntary compliance can be uneven.
Rescue and Response Efforts
In the aftermath of the eruption, Iwan Ramdani’s rescue agency mobilized dozens of personnel, including members of the national police, local disaster management teams, and volunteers. Their primary objectives are to locate and evacuate the missing hikers, provide medical assistance to any survivors, and secure the area to prevent further casualties. The operation is complicated by ongoing ashfall, which reduces visibility and can cause respiratory distress, as well as the risk of additional explosive episodes that could endanger rescuers. Coordination centers have been established in nearby towns such as Tobelo, where logistics, communication, and medical triage are being managed. International consular offices, particularly Singapore’s embassy, have been notified and are assisting with information sharing and support for the families of the missing nationals.
Geographic Context: Mount Dukono and Halmahera
Mount Dukono is situated on the island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, Indonesia. Halmahera forms part of the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone characterized by frequent tectonic plate interactions that generate numerous active volcanoes. Dukono itself is classified as a stratovolcano with a history of persistent, low‑level eruptive activity punctuated by occasional stronger explosions. Its summit crater, Malupang Warirang, has been the focus of most recent eruptions, producing ash plumes that regularly affect surrounding communities and aviation routes. The volcano’s accessibility and relatively modest elevation (approximately 1,300 metres) have made it a popular, albeit risky, destination for adventure trekkers seeking volcanic landscapes.
Hazards: Ash Fall, Projectiles, and Lava Flows
The eruption’s ash plume drifted predominantly toward the north, prompting PVMBG to issue a specific warning for residents of Tobelo town about the possibility of “volcanic ash rain.” Fine ash can contaminate water supplies, damage crops, and cause respiratory issues, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. In addition to ashfall, the eruption ejected volcanic rocks and tephra, creating a ballistic hazard that can travel several kilometres from the vent and pose a direct threat to anyone in the vicinity. While lava flows have not been reported as a major component of this particular eruption, Dukono’s past activity includes occasional lava effusions that could develop if the eruptive style shifts toward a more effusive phase. Authorities continue to monitor for signs of lava advancement, which would necessitate expanding the exclusion zone beyond the current 4 km radius.
Impact on Local Communities and Tourism
The eruption has disrupted daily life for residents living on the slopes of Halmahera, especially those in villages nearest to the volcano. Schools and businesses in the affected areas may experience temporary closures due to ash accumulation and health concerns. The tourism sector, which relies on trekkers drawn to Halmahera’s rugged terrain and volcanic sights, faces immediate cancellations and potential long‑term reputational impacts if safety perceptions are weakened. Local authorities are likely to intensify public awareness campaigns, reinforce checkpoint controls, and possibly consider temporary suspensions of trekking permits until volcanic activity subsides to a safer baseline. The incident also highlights the need for robust insurance and emergency evacuation plans for adventure tourists venturing into geologically active regions.
Monitoring and Future Outlook
PVMBG maintains a network of seismometers, GPS stations, gas sensors, and webcams around Mount Dukono to track changes in real time. The current alert level remains at “Waspada” (Advisory), reflecting ongoing unrest but not yet indicating an imminent large‑scale eruption. Scientists caution that the volcano’s open conduit system can produce rapid transitions from passive degassing to explosive activity, as demonstrated by the recent event. Continuous monitoring will be essential to detect any escalation in seismic tremor, deformation, or gas output that might precede further eruptions. In the interim, the exclusion zone around Malupang Warirang will likely stay in effect, and authorities will persist in advising the public to observe official warnings and avoid unnecessary exposure to volcanic hazards.