A large eruption of Bali’s restless Mount Agung volcano could be imminent, Indonesian officials have said as they called for 100,000 people to leave the area.
So far, 40,000 people have been moved away from the volcano and tens of thousands of travellers have been stranded due to airport closures.
Mount Agung has been spewing volcanic ash with increasing intensity since last Tuesday.
After confirmation that the volcano was shifting into the magmatic phase, authorities raised the warning level to the maximum of 4 on Monday morning.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) has strongly urged people to immediately leave the designated exclusion zone, which has been extended to an 8-10km radius of the volcano.
Authorities also warned of dangerous mudflows. people should stay away from rivers because mudflows could move rapidly and were a frequent killer during volcanic eruptions.
Bali is Indonesia’s top tourist destination, with its Hindu culture, surf beaches and lush green interior attracting about 5 million visitors a year.
In total 445 flights had been cancelled, stranding about 59,000 travellers. The closure was in effect until Tuesday morning, and officials said the situation would be reviewed every six hours.[1]
Kuta is out of the danger zone for Mt. Agung, so don’t be afraid to drop by our office for a surf lesson, or book your lesson here
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