Nearly 700 flights canceled as Bali airport closed over volcanic eruption
Indonesia has closed Bali airport, one of its busiest international terminals, cancelling hundreds of flights, because of ash spewed by a volcano on a nearby island, authorities said on Wednesday.
The resort island's Ngurah Rai airport will be closed until Thursday morning and will reopen after a re-evaluation of the situation, officials said.
"A total of 692 flights have been canceled," airport authorities said in a statement.
Mount Rinjani on the nearby island of Lombok has been spewing ash since last weekend.
"Tremors due to volcanic activities are continuously recorded and potential of more eruption is still high," the meteorological agency said in a statement.
Media reported the volcanic eruption had also delayed the deportation of one of India's most-wanted men, Rajendra Nikalje, widely known as Chhota Rajan. He was arrested in Bali last week after a two-decade-long international manhunt.
Tens of thousands of travelers in Bali were stranded during peak holiday season in July when the airport was closed due to volcanic eruptions on Mount Raung in East Java.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015...ort-idUSKCN0ST0LR20151104#1qbFtreT1rFMzhlG.97
Bali and Lombok airports closed as Mount Barujari spews volcanic ash
Indonesian authorities have closed Bali and Lombok airports as ash blown from an erupting volcano continues to disrupt flights.
Key points:
Yesterday, Virgin and Jetstar cancelled all flights in and out of Bali's Denpasar airport, because of ash being spewed out by Lombok's Mount Barujari's volcano.
Last night, the Indonesian transport ministry announced that it would close airports in Bali and Lombok until further notice, on advice from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre.
The volcanic ash cloud is about one kilometre high and blowing north-west from Lombok towards Bali.
And vulcanologists have warned that they do not expect the eruption to finish any time soon.
"Based on my experience of watching this mountain, the explosions will never happen just for couple of weeks," said Mutaharlin, a vulcanologist based at the nearby Mount Rinjani Observation Post who has been monitoring the area's volcanos for more than 20 years.
"In 2009 it happened for one-and-a-half years."
Mount Barujari erupts approximately every five years.
A mudslide from a 1994 eruption killed more than 30 villagers.
"Compared to the 1994 eruption which cost lots of lives, this eruption is considered far smaller," Mutaharlin said.
"At that time the volcanic ash column climbed 7000 metres high and blew as far as East Java.
"Right now the ash is thin and only affects aviation if it reaches 2,000 metres.
"If the ash gets blown higher by a strong vertical wind then it can cause more trouble."
The ash may yet affect even more flights. Indonesian authorities are also monitoring conditions around the nearby East Java airport.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-04/bali-and-lombok-airports-closed-by-volcanic-ash/6910180
Indonesia has closed Bali airport, one of its busiest international terminals, cancelling hundreds of flights, because of ash spewed by a volcano on a nearby island, authorities said on Wednesday.
The resort island's Ngurah Rai airport will be closed until Thursday morning and will reopen after a re-evaluation of the situation, officials said.
"A total of 692 flights have been canceled," airport authorities said in a statement.
Mount Rinjani on the nearby island of Lombok has been spewing ash since last weekend.
"Tremors due to volcanic activities are continuously recorded and potential of more eruption is still high," the meteorological agency said in a statement.
Media reported the volcanic eruption had also delayed the deportation of one of India's most-wanted men, Rajendra Nikalje, widely known as Chhota Rajan. He was arrested in Bali last week after a two-decade-long international manhunt.
Tens of thousands of travelers in Bali were stranded during peak holiday season in July when the airport was closed due to volcanic eruptions on Mount Raung in East Java.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015...ort-idUSKCN0ST0LR20151104#1qbFtreT1rFMzhlG.97
Bali and Lombok airports closed as Mount Barujari spews volcanic ash
Indonesian authorities have closed Bali and Lombok airports as ash blown from an erupting volcano continues to disrupt flights.
Key points:
- Mount Barujari volcano eruption disrupts flights in and out of Indonesia
- Authorities close Bali, Lombox airports
- Virgin, Jetstar cancel all flights from Australia to Bali's Denpasar airport
- Experts expect eruption could go on for number of weeks
Yesterday, Virgin and Jetstar cancelled all flights in and out of Bali's Denpasar airport, because of ash being spewed out by Lombok's Mount Barujari's volcano.
Last night, the Indonesian transport ministry announced that it would close airports in Bali and Lombok until further notice, on advice from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre.
The volcanic ash cloud is about one kilometre high and blowing north-west from Lombok towards Bali.
And vulcanologists have warned that they do not expect the eruption to finish any time soon.
"Based on my experience of watching this mountain, the explosions will never happen just for couple of weeks," said Mutaharlin, a vulcanologist based at the nearby Mount Rinjani Observation Post who has been monitoring the area's volcanos for more than 20 years.
"In 2009 it happened for one-and-a-half years."
Mount Barujari erupts approximately every five years.
A mudslide from a 1994 eruption killed more than 30 villagers.
"Compared to the 1994 eruption which cost lots of lives, this eruption is considered far smaller," Mutaharlin said.
"At that time the volcanic ash column climbed 7000 metres high and blew as far as East Java.
"Right now the ash is thin and only affects aviation if it reaches 2,000 metres.
"If the ash gets blown higher by a strong vertical wind then it can cause more trouble."
The ash may yet affect even more flights. Indonesian authorities are also monitoring conditions around the nearby East Java airport.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-04/bali-and-lombok-airports-closed-by-volcanic-ash/6910180