Volcano spews ash up to 10 km high, Bali cancels dozens of flights at the last minute

According to CNN, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia has created a giant ash cloud up to 10km high in the sky, disrupting or canceling dozens of flights to and from the tourist island of Bali.

Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki on the tourist island of Flores in south-central Indonesia erupted at 5:35 p.m. local time on June 17, sending a column of ash up to 10 kilometers high, the country's Geological Agency said.

Images showed an orange mushroom cloud over the nearby village of Talibura. Authorities immediately issued the country's highest alert level and urged tourists to avoid the area.

Dozens of flights have been cancelled in Bali, according to the Denpasar International Airport website, which marked the disruption as "due to the volcano".

Domestic flights to Jakarta and Lombok as well as other routes to Australia, China, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore were also delayed due to concerns about the impact of the volcanic eruption.

Given the current developments, Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport is expected to be closed until tomorrow (June 19), "to ensure the safety of passengers," airport operator AirNav said in an Instagram post.

Singapore Changi Airport's website also noted that Jetstar and Scoot had cancelled flights to Bali on the morning of June 18, while AirAsia had cancelled its midday flight to the Indonesian capital.

Travellers Athirah Rosli, 31, and her husband Fadzly Yohannes, 33, woke up this morning to find their Jetstar flight home from Bali to Singapore had been cancelled.

"My first reaction was anxiety and panic, but I calmed down almost immediately. My husband and I looked at new flights, booked additional accommodations and insurance, and then had breakfast at the hotel. I consider it a blessing that everyone is safe and healthy," Rosli told CNN.

Tourists affected

Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted following significant triggering activity, including 50 activities in two hours, a sharp increase from the average of 8 to 10 activities per day.

Dozens of residents in two nearby villages were quickly evacuated, according to Avi Hallan, an official at the local disaster response agency.

A danger zone has been sealed off about five miles (8km) from the crater. Residents have also been warned of the possibility of heavy rains causing lava flows from the volcano.

According to a local tour operator, more than a thousand tourists were affected, especially those traveling to Bali and Komodo National Park, famous for its Komodo dragons.

"We have seen more than 1,000 tourists affected by the cancellations," said Remdy Doul, a sales representative at Come2Indonesia, a Bali-based tour operator.

Previously, Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki last erupted in May when local authorities raised the alert level to the most severe.

Another eruption in March also occurred, but airlines had to cancel and delay flights to Bali, about 500 miles (800km) away.

In November 2024, the volcano erupted multiple times, killing nine people, injuring dozens, forcing thousands to evacuate and canceling flights.

Indonesia, home to 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes and experiences frequent seismic activity.

The archipelago lies along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped chain of seismic fault lines that encircles the Pacific basin.

Many active volcanoes in Indonesia often erupt suddenly and violently, engulfing nearby villages and forcing thousands to evacuate.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/nui-lua-phun-tro-bui-len-toi-10-km-bali-huy-hang-chuc-chuyen-bay-vao-phut-chot-143956.html