In Jakarta, Indonesia, a volcano located on the remote island of Halmahera erupted on May 27, sending a dense ash cloud approximately 6 kilometers high into the sky, as confirmed by the country's volcanology agency. As a precautionary measure, the agency issued a warning to local aviation authorities responsible for managing flights in the area.

This eruption is part of a series that began in May, following heightened volcanic activity observed since April. Consequently, authorities evacuated residents from seven nearby villages. The agency reported that the ash column, thick and grey, drifted westward after the eruption occurred at 3 a.m. local time, advising a clearance radius of 7 kilometers.

Videos shared by the agency captured the volcano emitting ash, with the plume gradually thickening and eventually obscuring the volcano itself. On May 27, the agency elevated the warning level to "red," the highest on its scale, indicating ash reaching heights exceeding 6 kilometers, according to its website. This decision followed the earlier raising of the volcano's alert level to its maximum on May 16.

The eruption of Mt. Ibu is part of a broader pattern of volcanic activity across Indonesia, which is situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and hosts 127 active volcanoes. In a separate incident on May 11, flash floods and cold lava flow from Mount Marapi, one of West Sumatra province's most active volcanoes, claimed the lives of at least 62 individuals, with 10 still missing, after heavy rainfall inundated several nearby districts. Furthermore, North Sulawesi's Ruang volcano recently erupted, emitting incandescent lava and prompting the evacuation of over 12,000 people from a nearby island.