Indonesia: Bali on red alert after volcano ash eruption

Authorities have issued the highest-level warning possible after volcanic eruptions from Mount Agung on the Indonesian resort island of Bali forced the closure of the island’s main airport and evacuation of thousands of residents living nearby. Thick ash started shooting thousands of meters into the air above Mount Agung on Saturday, driving east and southeast […]

Authorities have issued the highest-level warning possible after volcanic eruptions from Mount Agung on the Indonesian resort island of Bali forced the closure of the island’s main airport and evacuation of thousands of residents living nearby.

Thick ash started shooting thousands of meters into the air above Mount Agung on Saturday, driving east and southeast along the archipelago, forcing more than 29,000 people to evacuate from their homes, the Bali Provincial Board for Disaster Relief said, revising their initial estimate. 

At Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali’s main airport, flights were cancelled for 24 hours from 7:15 a.m. Monday local time (6 p.m. Sunday ET), stranding roughly 59,000 domestic and international passengers, according to the airport’s latest report.