Mount Karangetang Erupts Again, Spews Lava Flows

Mount Karangetang on Siau Island, North Sulawesi, erupted on Sunday evening (12/7) at 19:14 WITA. The volcano ejected incandescent material and produced lava flows.

The eruption from the North Crater began with a strombolian type, featuring weak explosions that hurled incandescent material up to 100 metres high. A booming sound echoed around the slopes of the mountain, followed by effusive lava flows moving 1,000 metres to the north, 400 metres to the west-southwest, and 1,000 metres to the south.

"We briefly saw orange sparks from behind the night fog. It was as if Mount Karangetang was speaking," said a local resident contacted by the regional disaster management agency. Observations by the Sitaro Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) on the night of the eruption showed that hot material briefly ignited dry grass around the summit. By Monday (13/7) morning, the grass fire was reported to be extinguished and under control. BPBD personnel remain on full alert, monitoring the potential for land fires caused by residual hot material.

Activity among residents at the foot of the mountain was reported to be normal. The local government has issued an official advisory, reminding the public to remain calm but alert to the natural dynamics, which could change at any time.

For local residents, Mount Karangetang is more familiarly known as Mount Siau. Standing 1,784 metres above sea level, it is one of the most active volcanoes in the Sulawesi region. History records its first eruption in 1675, followed by a series of major eruptions in 1941, 1962, 1965, 1976, 1997, 2010, and most recently in February 2019, when incandescent lava travelled more than 3 kilometres, scorching its path.

Since early July 2026, seismic activity has increased significantly. Between 1 and 11 July alone, 83 blast earthquakes, 41 shallow volcanic earthquakes, 127 distant tectonic earthquakes, and 4 felt earthquakes of scale I–III MMI were recorded. Nevertheless, the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) confirmed that Mount Karangetang’s status remains at Level II (Alert), unchanged since 11 January 2025.