Indonesia's Mount Ibu on the island of Halmahera erupted early Sunday morning, spewing a thick ash cloud 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) into the sky.

The eruption, which began around 12:37 am local time (Saturday GMT) and lasted for more than three minutes, sent a dark plume of ash westward from the peak, according to a statement by Axl Roeroe, an official at Mount Ibu's monitoring post.

Authorities have advised residents and tourists near the volcano to stay at least two kilometers away from the crater. While no evacuations were ordered, people in nearby areas are urged to wear face masks and eye protection during outdoor activities due to potential ashfall.

Indonesia, a country situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, is prone to frequent volcanic and seismic activity.  Earlier this month, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi erupted, displacing thousands of residents and forcing the closure of Sam Ratulangi International Airport in Manado for several days. (ILKHA)