Those planning to make a trip to Bali anytime soon, this is something to take note of.
Bali's airport has cancelled several flights following the eruption of Mount Agung on May 24, 2019.
Lava spread as far as 3km
According to CNA, Mount Agung in East Bali, Indonesia erupted at 7:23pm on Friday, spewing lava in all directions from as far as 2.5km to 3km.
May 24, 2019 ~ Mount Agung Eruption from VolcanoYT. #agung #volcano #eruption #bali #indonesia
— Volcano Time-Lapse (@DavidHe11952876) May 24, 2019
VolcanoYT:https://t.co/ZPhT8MEx2A
This clip is taken from a new camera owned and operated by VolcanoYT. pic.twitter.com/ggDvIVkAhd
The eruption of Mount Agung, Bali, occurred on May 24, 2019 at 7:23 p.m. but the ash column height was not observed. This eruption is recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 30 mm & duration of ± 4 minutes 30 seconds.there was a roaring noise at the Observation Post. pic.twitter.com/q1P3yzFhbn
— Cho Hamsyonk (@Cho_Hamsyonk) May 24, 2019
The eruption lasted four minutes and 30 seconds, and a seismograph recorded a maximum amplitude of 30mm. Amplitude refers to the extent of ground-shaking during the eruption.
Nine villages were affected by heavy ash fall and Mount Agung is on a Level III (Standby) status on the four-tiered volcano alert system.
This alert level means that there might be another potential eruption but hazards from volcanic ash emissions are minor or absent.
The Bali Provincial Disaster Management Agency has declared a 4km exclusion zone around the volcano, and has advised locals within the zone to leave immediately.
Flights cancelled
As a result of the eruption, 28 flights departing from and arriving at the island were disrupted, The New Straits Times reported.
Some airlines whose flights were cancelled include Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Virgin and Jetstar.
Both Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia were reportedly offering full refunds, and assisting affected passengers with booking of new flights.
Photos posted on Twitter showed long queues of travellers stranded by the volcano eruption and people camping out on the floor of the airport.
https://twitter.com/BriannaNEWS/status/1131966922361147392
Safe to travel to rest of Bali
Local officials did not declare that travelling to Bali was unsafe, as Mount Agung is located quite a distance away from typical tourist destinations like Seminyak and Ubud.
However, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against any travel to areas within four kilometres of the volcano.
The local volcano alert level may also change at short notice, and the FCO has urged those in the area to check media reports before travelling closer to Mount Agung.
Mount Agung was previously dormant since 1963 until an eruption in 2017. Since then the volcano has experienced regular explosive activity, especially in recent months.
Indonesia is particularly prone to seismic activity like volcano eruptions and earthquakes as it lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Travellers heading to natural disaster-prone areas are advised to purchase insurance which have 'force majeure' coverage.
Top photo from Cho Hamsyonk Twitter
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