Indonesia's Mount Ibu volcano erupts as tourists and residents urged to avoid area

Mount Ibu spews volcanic materials into the air during an eruption in West Halmahera, Indonesia (PVMBG-ESDM via AP)

By Edna Tarigan, Associated Press

Mount Ibu, a volcano in Indonesia's North Maluku province, has erupted, spewing thick grey ash and dark clouds 5,000 metres (16,400ft) into the sky for five minutes, officials said.

"The volcanic earthquakes are still intense so there is a potential for a future eruption," Hendra Gunawan, chief of the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, said.