A powerful volcanic eruption in Indonesia has disrupted air travel across Southeast Asia, grounding dozens of flights to and from the popular tourist island of Bali.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, located on Flores Island, erupted at 5:35 PM local time on Tuesday, spewing a towering ash plume nearly 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) into the atmosphere, according to the Indonesian Geology Agency. Authorities issued the highest-level alert and advised tourists and locals to avoid the vicinity of the volcano.
The eruption led to widespread flight cancellations, with Bali’s Denpasar International Airport attributing the disruptions to volcanic activity. Flights to cities including Jakarta and Lombok, as well as international routes to Australia, China, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore, were affected. Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport was shut until Thursday to ensure passenger safety.
Changi Airport in Singapore reported cancellations from Jetstar and Scoot, while AirAsia canceled a midday service to Jakarta. Travelers like Athirah Rosli and her husband found their return to Singapore canceled. “At first we were panicked,” said Rosli, “but we made the best of the situation and were grateful to be safe.”
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki has shown heightened activity in recent days, with over 50 tremors recorded in just two hours, far above its daily average. On Wednesday morning, the volcano erupted again, emitting another ash cloud over 1 km high. Evacuations have been carried out in nearby villages, and a five-mile (8km) danger zone has been declared.
Officials warn of possible lava flows triggered by heavy rains, and tourism has taken a hit, especially for those headed to Bali and Komodo National Park. Travel agency Come2Indonesia estimates over 1,000 tourists were impacted by the cancellations.
This marks the volcano’s second major eruption this year. Its previous eruptions in May, March, and November caused similar disruptions, with November’s event tragically resulting in nine deaths.
Indonesia, situated on the volatile Ring of Fire, is home to 120 active volcanoes and frequent seismic activity.
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