Indonesia: Bali eruptions lead to continued airport closure Nov. 28 /update 15

Event

Indonesia's National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) reported that Bali's Denpasar-Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) will be closed until at least 07:00 on Wednesday, November 29 due to ongoing eruptions at the Mount Agung volcano. Authorities have reportedly provided airlines with a list of ten nearby airports to divert incoming flights.

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.