A radius of nine kilometres and 12 kilometres around the mountain was considered dangerous but the resort island was otherwise safe.
Mount Agung in Bali is experiencing unprecedented levels of seismic activity and could erupt in a “matter of hours” if tremors continue, Indonesia’s volcanology centre has said.
More than 75,000 people have been evacuated in the last few days as Agung, the highest point of the island, has experienced hundreds of internal volcanic earthquakes.
“Instrumentally we have never recorded such high energy or seismicity from Mount Agung.”
Data showed that Mount Agung experienced 844 volcanic earthquakes on Monday, and 300 to 400 earthquakes by midday on Tuesday, he said. “We need to pay attention because these kinds of earthquakes indicate the movement of magma and increase the probability of an eruption.”
Evacuated people have sought shelter in hundreds of village halls and sports centres and in the homes of relatives in more than nine districts. President Joko Widodo is scheduled to visit evacuees at several camps on Tuesday.
Authorities have urged people to stay out the danger zone, a designated five- to seven-mile radius of the volcano.
The increasing frequency of deep and shallow volcanic earthquakes, as well as local tectonic tremors, is an indication that magma continues to move toward the surface. The alert status of Agung was raised to the highest level on the 22nd of September in the evening following a significant spike in seismic activity.
Kasbani, the head of the volcanology centre, told local media that if tremors continued, an eruption – the first in more than half a century – could be a “matter of hours” away.[1]
Mount Agung is 71 kilometres from the tourist hot spot of Kuta.
Flights in and out of Bali’s international airport remain normal with 50,000 to 60,000 travellers in and out of the island every day says Ngurah Rai airport general manager Yanus Suprayogi.[2]
Odysseys Surf School raised money for the refugees of Agung, September 30th there will be bought supplies of these donations and brought to the refugees. The Odysseys staff is visiting 2 to 3 refugee shelters hoping to make the life of the refugees a bit better.
Are your dropping by in Kuta? make sure to visit the most fun and helpful surf school of Bali or book here.