Indonesia Orders Permanent Closure of Mount Dukono Entry Points After Fatal Eruption

A fatal explosive eruption on May 8 at Mount Dukono on Indonesia’s Halmahera island killed three hikers, injured at least five others, and prompted North Halmahera authorities to order a permanent halt to all climbing access.

The Details

The eruption occurred on May 8, 2026. The Associated Press reported that three hikers were killed in the blast. CNN identified the dead as two Singaporeans and one Indonesian, and said at least five other hikers were injured. According to CNN and The Straits Times, twenty hikers were on the mountain when the eruption struck. Rescue operations involved more than 100 personnel over two days.

North Halmahera police chief Erlichson Pasaribu told the Associated Press that the hikers were aware of the restriction on climbing before they set out. "They were aware that climbing was prohibited as the mountain is a restricted zone due to its high alert status, but insisted on going ahead," Pasaribu said.

Context

Mount Dukono is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes and has been erupting continuously for decades, according to regional reporting citing the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Programme and published by The Straits Times. The volcano sits on Halmahera island in North Maluku. At the time of the eruption, Mount Dukono had been under a Level 2 alert since March 29, with public activity prohibited within a 4-kilometre radius of the crater, The Straits Times reported.

CNN reported that Indonesian volcanology guidance had advised tourists since December 2024 not to carry out activities within a 4-kilometre radius of Mount Dukono’s epicenter. The exact duration and timing of the exclusion guidance differ across the two reports. The Straits Times indicated the Level 2 alert was imposed on March 29 following an April 17 climbing ban, while CNN cited a 4-kilometre no-activity advisory since December 2024.

What's Next

In the aftermath of the fatalities, North Halmahera authorities issued an urgent May 8 letter ordering district and village heads to permanently close all entry points to Mount Dukono and stop issuing climbing permits, according to The Straits Times.