Flights get cancelled due to Indonesian volcano eruption

(MENAFN) Numerous flights heading to and from Bali, the popular Indonesian resort island, have been either cancelled or delayed following the eruption of one of the country’s most active volcanoes.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, situated on the island of Flores, released an ash plume rising over 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) into the atmosphere at 17:35 local time (10:35 BST) on Tuesday, according to Indonesia’s volcanology authority.

No casualties have been reported so far. Officials have raised the alert status to the highest level and warned people to steer clear of areas within a 7-kilometer radius around the volcano’s crater.

Among the airlines that have cancelled flights to and from Bali, located west of Flores, are Air India, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Juneyao Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Australia. Flight records from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport indicated that over 20 flights were cancelled as of midday Wednesday due to the volcanic activity.

Additionally, several domestic AirAsia flights scheduled to depart for Flores have also been called off. The twin-peaked volcano had previously erupted multiple times in November, resulting in nine deaths and displacing thousands of residents.

Muhammad Wafid, head of the geology agency, issued a warning about possible lahar floods—dangerous mud or debris flows composed of volcanic materials—that could occur if heavy rainfall happens.

Residents have been advised to wear face masks to shield themselves from the ash. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported that at least one village has been evacuated, while ash rain was observed in several other villages beyond the exclusion zone.

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