Bali volcano - live updates: Airport reopens while Indonesia urges anyone in danger zone to get out
Authorities raise volcano warning to highest alert level
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The airport on the holiday island of Bali has reopened after tens of thousands of travellers were stranded for two days due to an erupting volcano, but Indonesia's President said the danger has not passed and urged anyone within the mountain's exclusion zone to get out "for the sake of their safety."
Mount Agung has been hurling clouds of white and dark gray ash about 7,600m (4.7 miles) into the atmosphere and lava is welling up in the crater, though it remains unclear how bad the current situation might get or how long it could last.
Indonesian authorities raised their warning for the volcano to the top level four alert earlier in the week, and told residents around the mountain to immediately evacuate, warning of an "imminent" risk of a larger eruption.
Airport spokesman Arie Ahsannurohim said the volcanic ash has drifted south and southeast, leaving clean space above the airport for planes to land and take off.
It has been closed since Monday morning, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of people.
The closure of the airport had stranded tens of thousands of travellers, affecting tourists already on Bali and people who were ready to fly to the island from abroad or within Indonesia.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered all concerned ministries and agencies, as well as the military and police, to help Bali's government deal with the disaster.
"I hope there will be no victims hit by the eruption," he said.
Authorities have told 100,000 people to leave homes nearest the volcano, though tens of thousands stayed because they felt safe or didn't want to abandon livestock.
Nearly 40,000 people are now staying in 225 shelters, according to the Disaster Mitigation Agency in Karangasem.
Mudflows have been seen on the mountain's slopes, and authorities warned more are possible, since it's the rainy season in Bali.
Mount Agung's last major eruption in 1963 killed about 1,100 people.
Indonesia sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire" and has more than 120 active volcanoes.
Additional reporting by agencies
Welcome to The Independent's live blog on Mount Agung, which has stranded tens of thousands of travellers on the Indonesian island of Bali.
Indonesian authorities have raised the alert level for Mount Agung to the highest level.
People within 10 kilometres (6 miles) have been ordered to evacuate.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said Bali's international airport had closed for 24 hours and authorities would consider reopening it on Tuesday, after evaluating the situation.
Mount Agung has been hurling ash thousands of meters into the atmosphere, which forced the small international airport on the neighboring island of Lombok to close on Sunday as the plumes drifted east.
All flights to Bali are currently diverted because of the ash cloud from Mount Agung.
Mount Agung might be about to deliver the large eruption that has been feared for weeks, David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the Open University, said.
"Ash is rising to a height of about 30 thousand feet, and dispersing east and south taking it over Bali’s international airport, which has had to be closed. Airborne ash is a serious hazard to aircraft."
He added: “The wisdom of the Indonesian authorities’ decision to evacuate residents from around the foot of the volcano will be apparent if there is substantial ashfall or, worse, a collapse of an eruption column resulting in fast-moving pyroclastic flows.
"Airfall ash is a respiratory hazard, kills crops, and makes roofs collapse, and can turn into devastating mudflows (lahars) as soon as it rains. Pyroclastic flows are hot and deadly."
A spokesman for Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency says lava is welling up in the crater of the Mount Agung volcano on Bali "which will certainly spill over to the slopes."
Volcanologists say the lava's presence is sometimes reflected in the ash plume which takes on a reddish-orange glow even in daytime.
Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said bigger eruptions than those currently happening are possible based on the information the disaster agency is receiving from the volcano monitoring center.
He said that "since yesterday there were explosive eruptions whose sound was heard up to 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) away."
Indonesia's Directorate General of Land Transportation says 100 buses are being deployed to Bali's international airport and to ferry terminals to help travelers stranded by the eruption of Mount Agung.
Bali's international airport was closed early Monday after ash from the volcano reached its airspace. Hundreds of flights were canceled and tens of thousands of travelers affected.
The agency's chief, Budi, said major ferry crossing points have been advised to prepare for a surge in passengers and vehicles. Stranded tourists could leave Bali by taking a ferry to neighboring Java and then travel by land to the nearest airports.
The closure of Bali's airport due to volcanic ash is having a disruptive effect on flights around Indonesia and the region.
Bali is a hub airport in Indonesia, with many flights transiting there for domestic as well as international destinations.
Planes that would have flown other routes on Monday are now stuck on the tarmac in Bali.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments