On Monday, Indonesian officials reported that at least 24 flights to and from the popular holiday destination of Bali were canceled due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, which sent a volcanic ash column soaring up to approximately 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the sky.
The Indonesian volcano monitoring agency stated that the alert level for Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Nusa Tengarra province remains at its highest level.
The agency warned tourists to stay at least 6 kilometers away from the volcano and to keep a safe distance from areas where lava flows are expected.
Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, an airport official in Bali, announced that a total of 22 international flights to and from Bali, including those bound for Australia, South Korea, and Singapore, were canceled or delayed.
Additionally, two domestic flights operated by AirAsia from Bali to another tourist destination, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tengarra province, were also canceled.
A spokesperson for Virgin Australia stated that due to the volcanic eruption, the airline has halted its Bali routes and is closely monitoring the activity of the volcanic ash cloud.
Virgin Australia has canceled at least three return flights due to the eruption. Qantas Airways faced delays with two flights, while its subsidiary budget airline, Jetstar Airways, announced the cancellation of several flights between Bali and Australia.
The operator of Maumere Airport in East Nusa Tengarra province posted on social media that the government has shut down the airport until Tuesday.
Local disaster management official Avelina Manggota Hallan confirmed that there were no casualties or property damage from the volcanic eruption this time. She mentioned that no evacuation was necessary as residents from villages closest to the volcano had already been evacuated in advance.
Last November, during a volcanic eruption, at least nine people lost their lives, and thousands were evacuated.
Indonesia is located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for frequent geological activities due to the convergence of multiple tectonic plates. The country is home to over 120 active volcanoes.
(Translated and rewritten from a report by Reuters)