Concerns grow over impending volcanic eruption in Bali, Indonesia

Concerns have been growing over the recent eruption of Mount Agung volcano on the Indonesian island of Bali. On Monday afternoon, the Indonesian government expanded the danger zone and called for the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents to safer areas.

Bali's airport was closed on Monday morning, and in addition to tens of thousands of people being forced to stay on the island, flights to Bali have also been suspended.

Indonesian authorities have raised the alert for Mount Agung to its highest level, and Bali airport officials said ash from the volcanic activity had reached the airport on Monday morning.

Two explosions occurred in the volcano on Saturday night and Sunday morning, the second of which sent ash and smoke to a height of 3,000 meters.

Although it is not the peak tourist season in Bali, nearly 60,000 passengers who were due to leave the island on Monday are now stuck on the island. Airport officials said they were assessing the situation every six hours but it was unlikely that there would be any activity at the airport until at least Tuesday.

Thousands of people have fled the area around Mount Agung in recent weeks as volcanic activity has resumed, with warnings having been reduced for the past two weeks but now at their highest level. Most of the tourist hotspots are in the south and southwest of Bali, not too far from Agung.

Bali is the most important tourist destination in Indonesia and one of the major tourist areas in Asia. The majority of Balinese residents are Hindu, and the island is made up of a multitude of ancient structures and temples, picturesque villages, and beaches famous for relaxation and surfing.

The last time Mount Agung erupted was in 1963, killing nearly 1,600 people.

Source: Radio Farda