Denpasar [Bali], June 19: At least 32 flights to and from the Indonesian resort island of Bali were cancelled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted, sending a massive ash cloud more than 11 kilometres into the sky, aviation and disaster officials said.
The latest major eruption occurred at dusk on Tuesday in East Flores district, on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores, prompting evacuations of vulnerable residents - including infants and the elderly - in nearby villages.
Authorities said the volcano spewed a thick, grey column of ash reaching an altitude of 11,584 metres above sea level, accompanied by flows of volcanic matter in multiple directions on the ground. Although the ash plume did not reach Bali, airlines cancelled flights as a precaution, citing potential risks to aviation safety.
"Based on data received as of 9:30 local time Wednesday, 17 outbound and 15 inbound flights at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali were cancelled," said Wahyudi, acting general manager of the airport operator Angkasa Pura.
The affected outbound flights included 12 international routes - such as to Singapore, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Shanghai, Auckland, and Delhi - and five domestic routes, mainly to Labuan Bajo and Semarang, Wahyudi said.
Arriving flights from those same cities were also cancelled.
Airlines offered passengers options including full refunds, rescheduling, or rerouting, he said. At least 10 people were killed after the volcano erupted in November last year.
Lewotobi Laki-Laki, which rises to 1,584 metres above sea level, is one of two volcanoes in the Lewotobi group, which has a history of intermittent eruptions.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has more than 120 active volcanoes, making it one of the most volcanically active countries in the world.
Source: Qatar Tribune
