KATHMANDU: Indonesia's Ibu volcano erupted on Monday morning, releasing thick columns of grey ash several kilometers into the sky, as reported by the country's volcanology agency.

The eruption occurred at 9:12 a.m. local time (0012 GMT) on the remote island of Halmahera, lasting approximately five minutes and projecting ash up to 5 km (3.1 miles) high, according to officials. A smaller eruption had also been recorded on the previous Friday.

Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre, stated that the alert status of the volcano remains at the second-highest level. He emphasized that all activities within a five-kilometer radius of the volcano were prohibited, advising residents near the area to wear masks and glasses in case of ash rain.

Video footage shared by the center depicted clouds of grey ash emanating from the crater, accompanied by a booming noise. Despite the eruption, no evacuation of residents has been reported thus far. According to the volcanology agency, Indonesia, situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," is inhabited by 127 active volcanoes.