Indonesian officials raised its alert status to the highest level and called for the evacuation of 3,000 people living in six villages nearby Mount Ibu.

A volcano in eastern Indonesia has erupted at least a thousand times this month, according to an official report on Sunday, as efforts are under way to evacuate thousands of villagers. Mount Ibu, on the remote island of Halmahera, sent a column of smoke up to 4 km into the sky in an eruption on January 15.

Mount Ibu, one of the country's most active volcanoes, sent ash plumes 4km into the sky, forcing authorities to raise the alert level and urge residents to seek shelter A volcano in eastern Indonesia has erupted at least a thousand times this month,