A volcanic eruption on the Indonesian island of Bali, sending ash up to 11 kilometers (approximately 36,000 feet) into the sky, has prompted authorities to raise the alert level to its highest. The associated airport has also been closed, leading to numerous flight cancellations.
Several flights to and from Bali have been canceled or delayed. Furthermore, the airport in Maumere, located in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, has been shut down due to the eruption of the Levotobi Laki-laki volcano, Indonesian officials confirmed.
The Levotobi Laki-laki volcano initially erupted yesterday, spewing ash 11 kilometers high and forcing the country’s volcanology agency to elevate the alert level. The volcano erupted again today, releasing a one-kilometer-high ash cloud, according to the agency’s statement.
Travel Disruptions and Local Evacuations
Multiple international flights from India, Singapore, and Australia bound for Bali have been canceled, as announced on Bali’s international airport website. Singapore Airlines canceled four flights between Denpasar and Singapore, while Scoot Airlines canceled flights to both Bali and the neighboring island of Lombok.
The government has closed the Fransiskus Xaverius Seda airport in Maumere from today until tomorrow “to ensure passenger safety,” stated the AirNav airport authority.
The eruption has also compelled local authorities to evacuate dozens of residents from two villages near the volcano, Avi Halan, an official from the local disaster mitigation agency, told Reuters. She noted that streets in these two villages were covered in a thick layer of ash, gravel, and sand, but fortunately, no casualties have been reported. The volcano last erupted in May.
Indonesia is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region characterized by high seismic activity across multiple tectonic plates.
