29 Nov 2017 | 07:44 AM UTC
Indonesia: Bali airport may reopen November 29 afternoon /update 17
Following wind changes, authorities suggest Bali's Denpasar International Airport (DPS) may reopen from 15:00 (local time)
Event
Bali's Denpasar-Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) spokesperson has announced that the airspace will reopen at 15:00 (local time) on Wednesday, November 29. The announcement follows a change in the prevailing wind, that is pushing ash clouds from the ongoing eruption of Mount Agung volcano away from the airspace. Lombok International Airport (LOP) is currently open. According to officials, flights may land from 15:00 (local time), but no flights are expected to take off before 17:00 (local time) at the earliest. As of November 29, around 440 flights had been cancelled since the start of the week.
Indonesia's National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) officials have urged individuals within the 10 km (6.2 mi) exclusion zone around the volcano to evacuate the area as a precaution. At least 150,000 people have already been evacuated from the area.
The Mount Agung volcano has entered a magmatic eruption phase. Intensified volcanic eruptions are expected in the coming days, as well as transportation disruptions in affected areas.
Context
Bali's Mount Agung volcano previously erupted for the second time in a week at 17:30 (local time) on Saturday. On Sunday, the volcano's continued eruptions reportedly prompted Indonesian authorities to raise its flight alert level from orange to red (the highest level), as the volcano spewed a plume of ash more than 6000 m (19,700 ft) into the air. The BNPB raised the volcano alert level for Mount Agung from 3 to 4 - the highest level - on November 27 due to the risk of a large eruption.
The BNPB initially reported on November 21 that Mount Agung had entered an eruptive phase. A state of emergency has been in effect since September 19. Mount Agung's last major eruption occurred in 1963 and resulted in the deaths of around 1500 people.
Advice
Individuals present in affected areas are advised to monitor the situation and follow any instructions issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders). Potentially impacted travelers are advised to confirm flight reservations.
