Indonesia’s Mount Ibu erupts three times, spewing lava and clouds of grey ash

Mount Ibu spews volcanic materials during an eruption on Halmahera Island (Badan Geologi via AP)

Indonesia’s Mount Ibu has erupted three times on Thursday, spewing red lava and clouds of grey ash.

No injuries were reported, but authorities have raised the alert to the highest level as the number of eruptions and deep volcanic earthquakes have significantly increased.

The volcano, on an island in eastern North Maluku province, has been erupting almost every day since early May.

Thursday’s eruptions sent ash clouds up to 4,000ft into the air, said Muhammad Wafid, chief of Indonesia’s Geology Agency.

Mount Ibu spews volcanic materials during an eruption on Halmahera Island (PVMBG/AP)

Photos and videos recorded by the agency from an observation post showed bursts of incandescent red lava with some lightning during the eruptions.

Authorities urged people to stay at least 4.5 miles from the 4,347ft volcano.

More than 1,900 people have been evacuated from three villages close to Ibu, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

Thousands of acres of farmland have been affected by the eruptions.

Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes. It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.