Dozens of Bali flights cancelled after Indonesia volcano erupts
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Indonesian Volcano Erupts, Spewing Ash Cloud 11 km into the Sky
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted at 5:35 pm on Tuesday, sending an enormous six-mile-high (11 km) ash cloud. Dozens of domestic and international flights have been cancelled, and more than 1,000 tourists have been affected. Three airports in the East Nusa Tenggara region have been closed due to the volcano’s eruption. A 7km danger zone has been established around the eruption site.
Images showed an orange mushroom-shaped ash cloud engulfing the nearby village of Tailbura, with sightings around 93 miles away. This has led to chaos throughout the island.
The eruption has led to massive disruption in the largely tourist-dependent region of Indonesia. Dozens of domestic and international flights have been cancelled, and more than 1,000 tourists have been affected.
Domestic flights to Jakarta and Lombok have been cancelled. In addition, international flights from Australia, China, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore were disrupted.
Airlines such as Qantas, Air India, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Juneyao Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia have cancelled flights.
Three airports in the East Nusa Tenggara region have been closed due to the volcano’s eruption. A 7km danger zone has been established around the eruption site.
Authorities warned residents about lava flows as rainfall increases the chances of further disruption. Tourists and residents have also been advised to wear masks to avoid breathing in the ash. People closer to the volcano have been evacuated.
The eruption came after the national disaster agency reported days of significant volcanic activity, and the alert level was increased to very high after a similar eruption in May.
However, JetStar made a statement saying that the “forecasts show the ash cloud is expected to clear by later tonight.” But this doesn’t prevent the delays and chaos experienced by tourists trying to visit the country.
Indonesia is known for having a high level of seismic activity, being located on the ring of fire, a horseshoe shaped series of fault lines between tectonic plates. The eruption continues to cause major disruption and will have a big effect on the nation.
Bali bound Air India flight returns safely amid massive volcano eruption
Air India flight AI2145 from Delhi to Bali was advised to return to Delhi in the interest of passenger safety. Dozens of flights to and from Indonesia’s resort island of Bali were cancelled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano erupted. The eruption alert was raised to the highest level on Tuesday, and the danger zone where people are recommended to leave was expanded to 8 kilometres from the crater. The volcano previously erupted in November, killing nine people and injuring dozens.
The eruption occurred on the eastern island of Flores, where the 1,584-metre volcano forced authorities to raise its alert status to the highest level on Indonesia’s four-tier scale.
Air India said that the AI2145 flight safely landed back in Delhi, and all passengers disembarked. “Inconvenience caused to passengers is sincerely regretted, and every effort has been made to minimise it by providing hotel accommodation to the affected passengers. Full refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling have also been offered to them if they opt,” added the airline.
Dozens of flights on Wednesday were cancelled, including those connecting Bali to cities in Australia, Malaysia, India and China, according to the website of Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. However, some departures were delayed until later in the evening as the ash cloud was expected to clear.
The eruption alert was raised to the highest level on Tuesday, and the danger zone where people are recommended to leave was expanded to 8 kilometres from the crater.
Lewotobi is a twin volcano located in the southeastern part of the island of Flores, Indonesia. It has two peaks: the Lewotobi Laki-laki and Lewotobi Perempuan stratovolcanoes. The more active Lewotobi Laki-laki is about 2.1 km northwest of the taller Lewotobi Perempuan.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki previously erupted in November, killing nine people and injuring dozens. It also erupted in March.
Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanoes and sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
(With agency inputs)
Volcanic eruption in Indonesia prompts evacuations, flight cancelations
Dozens of flights were canceled, including those connecting Bali to cities in Australia, Malaysia, India and China. An eruption Tuesday afternoon sent thick, gray clouds 10,000 meters (about 32,800 feet) into the sky. The eruption alert was raised Tuesday to the highest level and the danger zone where people are recommended to leave was expanded to 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) from the crater. No casualties have been reported from Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki’s eruptions. The volcano has had several eruptions, and its danger level and no-go zone have changed several times before being raised again to thehighest level Tuesday. It also erupted in March and killed nine people and injured dozens in November. It sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
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Dozens of flights were canceled, including those connecting Bali to cities in Australia, Malaysia, India and China.
LEMBATA, Rajasthan — Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted with giant ash and smoke plumes again Wednesday after forcing evacuations of villages and flight cancelations, including to and from the resort island of Bali.
Several eruptions sent ash up to 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) into the sky Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon. An eruption Tuesday afternoon sent thick, gray clouds 10,000 meters (about 32,800 feet) into the sky that expanded into a mushroom-shaped ash cloud visible as much as 150 kilometers (nearly 93 miles) away.
The eruption alert was raised Tuesday to the highest level and the danger zone where people are recommended to leave was expanded to 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) from the crater.
Officers also evacuated from the Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki monitoring post 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the crater to avoid falling gravel released in the eruption. No casualties have been reported.
Ash and debris fell in a number of places outside the danger zone, including the villages of Boru, Hewa and Watobuku. Some residents from Nurabelen village in Ile Bura subdistrict fled to evacuation sites in Konga to avoid the impact of the eruption, the National Disaster Management Agency said in a statement.
“Some residents have also evacuated to Nileknoheng village, which is 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) from the crater,” said Abdul Muhari, the National Disaster Management Agency’s spokesperson.
Dozens of flights Wednesday were canceled, including those connecting Bali to cities in Australia, Malaysia, India and China, according to the website of Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. Volcanic ash can pose a risk to plane engines.
Flights also were canceled to and from the international airport in Labuan Bajo another tourist destination in Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara province. The airport is still operating.
The cancelations and delays affected thousands of travelers. Australian carrier Jetstar, which flies daily between the tourist hotspot and several Australian cities, said the ash cloud was forecast to clear by late Wednesday and its services would be rescheduled.
Air New Zealand cancelled one return trip to Auckland and would rebook customers on the next available service, the airline said in a statement Wednesday. Flights to New Delhi, Singapore and Pudong, China, were also cancelled due to the volcano, according to information on the website for Denpasar airport in Bali.
The 1,584-meter (5,197-foot) Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki is a twin volcano with Mount Lewotobi Perempuan in the district of Flores Timur.
The volcano has had several eruptions, and its danger level and no-go zone have changed several times before being raised again to the highest level Tuesday.
An eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in November killed nine people and injured dozens. It also erupted in March.
Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanoes and sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
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Bali volcano flight updates: Dozens of Bali flights cancelled after major volcano erupts in Indonesia
Dozens of flights to and from Bali’s Denpasar International Airport were cancelled after Mount Lewotobi erupted and spewed volcanic ash up to 10km into the sky. Australian airlines Virgin, Qantas and Jetstar have a combined 25 cancelled and eight delayed flights. The situation has caused delays at Australia’s major airports, including in Melbourne, where four flights have been rescheduled for tonight. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs travel warning service, Smartraveller, has issued a warning to Aussies that flights to the tourist hotspot have been affected. The volcano erupted overnight, spewing towering columns of hot ash into the air. The eruption alert has been raised to the highest level.
Dozens of flights to and from Bali’s Denpasar International Airport were cancelled after Mount Lewotobi erupted and spewed volcanic ash up to 10km into the sky.
Australian airlines Virgin, Qantas and Jetstar have a combined 25 cancelled and eight delayed flights.
People watch as Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spews volcanic materials into the air. (AP)
This includes 15 cancelled and six delayed Jetstar flights, two delayed Qantas flights and 10 Virgin Australia cancellations.
Flights could potentially resume this evening, with forecasts predicting the ash cloud will clear by later tonight.
The situation has caused delays at Australia’s major airports, including in Melbourne, where four flights have been rescheduled for tonight.
The airlines will reach out to customers directly about the status of their flights.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs travel warning service, Smartraveller, has issued a warning to Aussies that flights to and from the tourist hotspot have been affected.
“Some flights between Australia and Bali have been cancelled or postponed due to volcanic ash from Mt Lewotobi Laki-Laki,” the warning says.
“If your flight is affected, contact your airline and insurance provider for alternative travel and accommodation arrangements.”
One couple from the Victorian city of Ballarat arrived at Melbourne Airport for their flight to Bali and discovered the service was cancelled.
“It’s totally annoying, there’s no doubt about that, to get here and see cancelled on a board,” the traveller said.
One traveller said she did not receive any communication from her airline about the cancellation.
“When we got here, we just saw the board that said delayed, we didn’t really get a text message or anything,” she said.
“The counters are down, so we’re not able to check in, we don’t know when the flight is going to take off.”
The volcano erupted overnight, spewing towering columns of hot ash into the air.
Authorities raised the eruption alert to the highest level and expanded the danger zone to 8km from the crater.
Indonesia’s Geology Agency said in a statement it recorded the volcano unleashing 10,000m of thick grey clouds at 5.35pm local time (8.35pm AEST), following significant volcanic activities, including 50 in two hours, rather than the usual daily eight to 10 activities.
The ashes expanded into a mushroom-shaped ash cloud that could be seen from the cities located 90km to 150km from the mountain.
There were no casualties reported.
Residents were warned to be vigilant about heavy rainfall triggering lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano.
An eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in November killed nine people and injured dozens.
The 1584m mountain is a twin volcano with Mount Lewotobi Perempuan in the district of Flores Timur.
Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanoes and sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
Bali Tourists Stranded As Volcano Eruption Forces Dozens Of Flight Cancellations Here’s What We Know
Singapore Airlines, Jetstar Airways, AirAsia X, Batik Air, and Wings Air were among the carriers that temporarily halted services. More than a thousand tourists have been affected, particularly those travelling to Bali and Komodo National Park. Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki last erupted in May, when authorities also raised the alert level to the most severe. A previous eruption in March forced airlines to cancel and delay flights into Bali.
Singapore Airlines, Jetstar Airways, AirAsia X, Batik Air, and Wings Air were among the carriers that temporarily halted services due to the volcanic activity.
According to data from Bali’s international airport cited by Reuters, around 30 flights have been cancelled so far.
| Air India flight from Delhi to Bali returns back due to volcanic eruption
However, the airport at Denpasar, the main gateway to Bali’s tourist hotspot, remained open, and some carriers, including PT Garuda Indonesia, were still checking passengers in.
Reuters reported that, as per the explanation given by the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation, grey volcanic ash of medium intensity was observed moving toward the north.
According to CNN, more than a thousand tourists have been affected, particularly those travelling to Bali and Komodo National Park.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki last erupted in May, when authorities also raised the alert level to the most severe. A previous eruption in March forced airlines to cancel and delay flights into Bali, around 500 miles (800km) away, reported CNN.
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In November, the volcano erupted multiple times, claiming the lives of nine people and injuring dozens of others, forcing thousands to flee and flights to be cancelled.
The disruptions started after Tuesday’s eruption of the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano in the east of Indonesia’s Flores island.
The country’s disaster management agency said in a statement that authorities raised the volcano’s disaster alert to the highest level of four after the eruption sent an ash column of over 10 kilometres (6 miles) into the sky, reported Reuters.
Seismic monitoring devices are still detecting tremors indicating ongoing volcanic activity, the disaster management agency told Reuters.