Ever Restless Mount Dukono Erupts

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Ever Restless Mount Dukono Erupts Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search An ash-rich volcanic plume streams from the volcano on May 13, 2026, in this image captured by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin In May 2026, the Global Volcanism Program reported nine actively erupting volcanoes in Indonesia—more than any other country at the time. Such activity is typical for the Southeast Asian archipelago, where eruptions have occurred at 55 volcanoes since the 1960s—the highest total for any country. Japan ranks second with eruptions at 40 volcanoes over that time period, followed by the United States with 39, according to Global Volcanism Program data. Even for such an eruption-prone country, the persistence of activity at Mount Dukono stands out. The remote stratovolcano, located at the northern end of Halmahera Island, has been erupting nearly continuously since 1933, with near-daily rumbles and frequent emissions of ash and volcanic gases. The volcano routinely flings hunks of semi-molten rock, known as volcanic bombs, hundreds of meters from its vent. This sort of activity at Dukono turned deadly on May 8, 2026, when ash and volcanic bombs rained down on a group of hikers. In the days following the tragedy, the mountain remained highly active. Indonesia’s volcanological survey reported an average of 52 eruptive events per day between May 9 and 16, with ash plumes rising 400 to 4,300 meters (1,300 feet to 14,000 feet) above the summit. NASA and other U.S. government satellites detected thermal anoma