Mount Dukono, located on Halmahera island in eastern Indonesia, erupted on Friday morning, sending volcanic ash as high as 10 kilometers into the atmosphere, according to Indonesia’s volcanology authorities.

Local police said the victims included two Singaporean nationals and one Indonesian hiker who were inside a restricted exclusion zone near the crater when the eruption occurred. Indonesia’s search and rescue agency has continued to classify the three as missing while recovery efforts remain underway.Seventeen other climbers, including additional Singaporean nationals, were evacuated safely from the mountain on Friday.

The search operation was temporarily suspended late Friday because of continued eruptions and unstable conditions around the crater area. Authorities resumed the mission on Saturday with more than 100 personnel, including police officers, soldiers and drone operators.“We are racing in this search.

When the situation and condition is safe, we will approach the crater, and when an eruption occurs, we must secure all search personnel,” rescue official Iwan Ramdani said in a statement recorded near the Dukono monitoring station in Mamuya village.

Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said the volcano erupted several more times on Saturday, including one blast that produced an ash column reaching around three kilometers above the summit.

National disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said preliminary information indicated the bodies of the two Singaporean hikers were located approximately 20 to 30 meters from the crater rim. The location of the Indonesian hiker remained unknown.

Singapore’s foreign ministry said it was coordinating with its embassy in Jakarta to assist affected citizens and their families, according to local media reports.Authorities said the hikers had entered an area subject to a four-kilometer exclusion zone imposed around the crater since December 2024.

The restriction remains in place because of persistent volcanic activity at Mount Dukono, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes.The volcano has remained at level two on Indonesia’s four-tier alert system since 2008. Officials said warning signs and public advisories had instructed visitors to avoid the restricted zone.

Indonesia sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region of intense seismic and volcanic activity caused by shifting tectonic plates. The archipelago has nearly 130 active volcanoes and experiences frequent eruptions and earthquakes.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the incident occurred before nightfall on Saturday when accumulated lava on the volcano’s southwestern slope gave way, sending an avalanche of hot rocks, ash and gas downslope.

The agency’s director, Teresito Bacolcol, said the volcano has been exhibiting mild eruptive activity intermittently since January but emphasized that no explosive eruption had taken place.Authorities reported no casualties, though ash clouds spread across 87 villages in three towns, reducing visibility to near zero in some areas and disrupting road movement.

Caloy Baldo, mayor of Camalig, said residents were caught off guard by the density of the ashfall, which he described as severe enough to halt traffic along national roads.Local officials said agricultural losses were reported, particularly in vegetable farms, while livestock deaths included four water buffaloes and one cow.

Cleanup operations were underway in affected communities, including Camalig, which has a population of about 8,000 people.The volcano, rising 2,462 meters and known for its near-symmetrical cone, is among the Philippines’ most active and closely monitored.

Authorities had raised its alert status to Level 3 in January, indicating heightened unrest with potential for hazardous eruptions, including rockfalls and pyroclastic flows.Bacolcol said conditions had stabilized as of Monday but warned that the threat of further activity remained, noting that the volcano’s behavior continues to require close monitoring under the current alert level.

Authorities said the fires had spread across 1,373 hectares (3,393 acres) by early Sunday, a 7% increase from the previous day, with dry weather and strong winds hampering containment efforts.The blazes are advancing toward neighborhoods in Otsuchi, a Pacific coastal town still marked by the devastation of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which killed nearly a tenth of its population.

Evacuation orders remain in place for 1,541 households, affecting 3,233 residents roughly one-third of the town’s population.“Although the Self-Defense Forces are fighting the fires from the sky with helicopters, the dry weather and winds are helping the fires expand,” Otsuchi Mayor Kozo Hirano told a press conference.

Military helicopters continued aerial water drops over forested mountain areas on Sunday as emergency crews worked to prevent the flames from reaching homes and critical infrastructure.Residents watching the smoke spread expressed concern over the scale of possible destruction.

“A fire burns everything down. With a tsunami, you might have something left after the destruction,” said 74-year-old Yoshinori Komatsu as he watched helicopters dump water over the hills in the distance.

So far, only one minor injury has been reported a person who fell at an evacuation center, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.The Japan Meteorological Agency said no rainfall is expected in the region on Sunday or Monday, though a brief shower is forecast for Tuesday, offering limited hope for natural relief.

Officials said the cause of the fires remains under investigation.Japan has faced increasing wildfire risks in recent years, particularly during dry seasonal periods, with mountainous terrain and strong coastal winds often complicating firefighting operations.

The current fires represent one of the most serious wildfire threats to northern Japan this year, placing renewed pressure on local emergency services and evacuation systems.

The quake hit at 8:42 p.m. local time (1612 GMT) at a depth of 186 km, with its epicentre in Badakhshan Province, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Afghanistan’s health ministry said the fatalities occurred in the Gosfand Dara area of Kabul Province, where a single family was buried under the impact of the tremor. “Eight members of a family died as a result of the earthquake,” ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said in a statement.

He added that a child, estimated to be around two years old, survived but was injured. The country’s disaster management agency confirmed the child had sustained injuries during the incident.

Journalists reported that the tremors were felt in Kabul and other parts of the country, though no immediate wider casualty figures were released.

Afghanistan lies along the seismically active Hindu Kush region, where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates converge, making earthquakes a frequent occurrence.

The latest quake follows a series of deadly seismic events in recent years, including an August tremor that killed more than 2,200 people in eastern Afghanistan after devastating remote mountain communities.

Air quality monitors recorded PM2.5 concentrations exceeding 900 micrograms per cubic meter in parts of Pai, roughly 60 times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended 24-hour exposure limit, according to monitoring data cited this week. Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second-largest city, consistently ranked among the world’s most polluted major cities during the period.

Residents reported acute health effects linked to prolonged exposure. Pon Doikam, a 36-year-old vendor working outdoors in Chiang Mai, said she experienced nasal bleeding and persistent respiratory irritation after spending hours in polluted conditions. “It feels like you’re trapped in the smoke constantly,” she said.

The pollution surge is part of an annual haze season affecting much of Southeast Asia, driven by crop burning and forest fires. However, locals described current conditions as unusually severe. Geographic factors have compounded the situation, with mountainous terrain trapping smoke and hindering firefighting access to remote forest areas.

Field observations confirmed multiple active fires along routes between Chiang Mai and Pai. Volunteer firefighter Maitree Nuanja said local response capacity remains limited, relying heavily on donated supplies. He noted that teams are operating with constrained fuel and equipment support while facing prolonged exposure to hazardous air.

Authorities confirmed the death of a volunteer firefighter earlier this week, citing suspected exhaustion combined with heat exposure and pre-existing health conditions.Public health risks are particularly acute for vulnerable groups. In Chiang Mai, authorities have set up “dust-free rooms” equipped with air filtration systems to protect residents, including elderly populations.

Watwilai Chaiwan, an 82-year-old resident of a care facility, said the pollution has worsened symptoms such as dizziness and migraines and discouraged outdoor activity.Medical professionals warned of broader health implications.

Thanakrit Im-iam, a doctor in Chiang Mai, said fine particulate matter can penetrate deep into the body, carrying toxins and heavy metals. He reported common symptoms including eye irritation, respiratory inflammation and mucus buildup, adding that long-term exposure could have severe consequences.

The haze has also weighed on tourism, a key economic driver in northern Thailand. Local transport operator Chakkrawat Wichitchaisilp reported a noticeable decline in visitors during what is typically a peak travel season. Visibility across Chiang Mai has been significantly reduced, with skyline views obscured by dense smog.

Government officials held discussions this week to address the crisis, while some districts in Chiang Mai declared disaster zones to expedite financial assistance. However, environmental groups said policy responses remain insufficient.

Kanongnij Sribuaiam of the Thailand Clean Air Network urged faster progress on stalled clean air legislation, warning that delays could force the process to restart if deadlines are missed.

The recurring haze crisis underscores ongoing challenges in managing cross-border pollution, agricultural practices and forest fire control across the region.

The United States Geological Survey said the offshore quake was followed by aftershocks reaching magnitudes of up to 5. Indonesia’s meteorology agency reported small tsunami waves of 0.3 meters in West Halmahera and 0.2 meters in Bitung.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a regional tsunami alert but lifted it about two hours later, stating that the threat had passed based on available data.Local broadcaster Metro TV reported that one person died after being struck by falling rubble in Manado, in North Sulawesi province.

Indonesian officials confirmed the casualty, saying the victim was buried under debris from a collapsed building. One additional person suffered a leg injury.Residents described scenes of panic as the quake struck, with people fleeing their homes. A Manado resident said the shaking lasted for a prolonged period, causing items to fall from shelves and cutting power in some areas, though no major structural damage was visible in her neighborhood.

Authorities reported damage to several buildings in North Sulawesi, though the full extent remained unclear. Regional officials in areas including Ternate and Tidore urged residents to prepare for possible evacuations in the immediate aftermath.

Tsunami warning agencies had cautioned that hazardous waves were possible along coastlines within 1,000 km of the epicenter, including parts of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Subsequent assessments by authorities in both countries indicated no significant threat to their territories.Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 280 million people, lies along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plate interactions frequently trigger earthquakes and volcanic activity.

In recent history, the country has experienced some of the world’s deadliest seismic disasters, including the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people across multiple countries, and a 2018 quake and tsunami in Sulawesi that claimed over 4,300 lives.

Authorities said a vehicle carrying 10 people was caught in a wadi in Barka, where seven individuals were rescued while three others were later found dead. In a separate incident in Al-Maawil, two citizens died after their vehicle was carried away by floodwaters, with their bodies subsequently recovered.

The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority said emergency teams were deployed to both locations following reports of vehicles being overwhelmed by rising water levels in wadis, which are prone to sudden flooding during periods of intense rainfall.

The agency confirmed that rescue operations resulted in saving seven people from the Barka incident.Officials attributed the fatalities to severe weather conditions affecting parts of the country, though no additional details on rainfall intensity or affected regions were immediately provided.

Oman has faced recurring episodes of deadly flooding in recent years, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall that cause wadis to overflow rapidly. In April 2024, flash floods killed at least 20 people and caused widespread inundation across several areas, highlighting the persistent vulnerability of low-lying zones and road networks to sudden water surges.

Authorities have previously issued warnings about the dangers of crossing flooded wadis, which can turn hazardous within minutes due to upstream rainfall and fast-moving currents.

This innovative approach addresses one of the key challenges in environmental monitoring: the shortage of high-quality training data for artificial intelligence applications in ecological protection and disaster management.

By generating synthetic data from limited real-world samples, KAUST researchers enable predictive AI models to detect potential oil spills more accurately and efficiently, enhancing rapid response capabilities.

Early detection of oil spills is critical to minimizing environmental damage, protecting marine ecosystems, and ensuring the health of coastal communities while supporting sustainable industrial practices.

Matthew McCabe, dean of the Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division at KAUST, highlighted that synthetic data can significantly expand the scope of AI applications in environmental disaster management.

The collaboration with SARsatX, a Saudi company specializing in Earth observation technologies, demonstrates the Kingdom’s commitment to leveraging advanced science and technology for environmental sustainability and disaster resilience.

Deep learning models trained on synthetic datasets can provide real-time predictions, reducing the logistical and environmental challenges traditionally associated with data collection in marine and coastal areas.

This advancement in AI-powered environmental monitoring exemplifies how innovation can support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals for technological leadership, ecological conservation, and sustainable economic development.

The KAUST-SARsatX project also serves as a global model for integrating artificial intelligence with Earth observation to tackle complex ecological challenges such as oil spills, chemical leaks, and coastal pollution.

By enabling faster and more reliable monitoring, these AI systems help authorities implement mitigation strategies, reduce cleanup costs, and safeguard biodiversity along key marine corridors.

Synthetic data generation allows researchers to simulate a wide range of environmental scenarios, improving predictive model robustness and ensuring preparedness for future ecological incidents.

This initiative highlights the growing role of AI in environmental stewardship, demonstrating that technology can not only analyze historical data but also anticipate and prevent ecological disasters before they escalate.

The project’s success reinforces the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, combining expertise in computer science, marine biology, and environmental engineering to develop practical solutions with real-world impact.

KAUST’s pioneering work in AI-driven oil spill detection strengthens Saudi Arabia’s reputation as a hub for innovation in scientific research, sustainable technology, and environmental resilience.

As the models continue to evolve, the predictive capabilities will improve, enabling earlier alerts for oil spills, minimizing environmental and economic damage, and promoting responsible industrial practices.

The research also provides opportunities for knowledge transfer and capacity building, training scientists, engineers, and policymakers in cutting-edge environmental AI applications.

By integrating AI with satellite observation data, the project exemplifies a modern, proactive approach to ecological management, aligning with global priorities for climate action and environmental protection.

This innovative methodology can be extended to monitor other forms of environmental hazards, including chemical contamination, deforestation, and water pollution, broadening its impact across multiple ecological domains.

KAUST’s leadership in combining artificial intelligence, synthetic data generation, and Earth observation technologies positions Saudi Arabia at the forefront of global environmental innovation and disaster preparedness.

The General Directorate of Civil Defense conducted a comprehensive test across the Kingdom, activating both fixed sirens and mobile phone alerts to evaluate the readiness, efficiency, and coordination of the National Early Warning Platform.

This large-scale exercise demonstrates the Kingdom’s continued commitment to ensuring the safety of its residents and strengthening resilience in times of crisis.

The coordinated test, conducted simultaneously across multiple regions, aimed to verify that citizens and residents can respond effectively to official emergency alerts.

The Civil Defense confirmed that the test was designed to raise awareness about how early warning systems work, ensuring that people recognize different alert tones and know how to respond appropriately.

The alerts were broadcast in several phases: a new warning tone was transmitted at 1:00 p.m., followed by a national alert tone at 1:10 p.m., and the activation of fixed sirens across Riyadh, Tabuk, Jeddah, and Makkah at 1:15 p.m.

This carefully planned schedule allowed authorities to assess the synchronization of multiple communication systems, from fixed sirens to mobile alerts, ensuring comprehensive coverage even in densely populated or remote areas.

By integrating modern cellular broadcasting technology, the Kingdom aims to guarantee that warnings reach individuals quickly, no matter where they are located.

This innovative approach enhances situational awareness and reinforces the Kingdom’s focus on adopting advanced technology for public safety management.

Experts praised the initiative, emphasizing its importance in building a culture of preparedness among citizens. Dr. Osama Ghanem Al-Obaidy, a professor of law and security policy expert, commended the Civil Defense for its proactive measures.

He noted that early warning systems play a crucial role in saving lives during natural disasters, fires, or other emergencies.

According to him, including mobile alerts ensures that people receive timely notifications, even in situations where sirens might not be heard, such as inside buildings or vehicles.

This comprehensive method, he added, highlights the government’s commitment to integrating innovation and technology in national security planning.

Residents also expressed strong support for the test, recognizing its importance in strengthening the nation’s overall safety framework.

Riyadh resident Saleh Al-Dosri described the drill as a “positive step toward ensuring public safety,” adding that it reassures citizens that emergency systems are fully functional and ready to respond.

Many residents appreciated the clarity of the alerts and the government’s effort to familiarize the public with these tones, ensuring that future warnings are quickly understood and acted upon.

The General Directorate of Civil Defense continues to play a leading role in developing and maintaining advanced systems to respond to emergencies effectively.

By conducting such nationwide drills, the authority not only ensures operational readiness but also reinforces community awareness and trust in national preparedness measures.

These efforts align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, which emphasize the creation of safe, resilient, and sustainable communities supported by world-class infrastructure and technology.

This initiative reflects the Kingdom’s broader commitment to safeguarding lives and property through proactive planning, innovation, and collaboration.

As the country continues to modernize its emergency response systems, these regular tests serve as vital exercises in ensuring rapid communication, public engagement, and preparedness for any eventuality.

By prioritizing readiness and awareness, Saudi Arabia sets an example in the region for integrating technology and community involvement in civil defense strategies.

The early warning test stands as a reminder of the nation’s dedication to protecting its people and enhancing public safety through continuous improvement and innovation.