An eruption could be imminent at a volcano belching huge plumes of smoke on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, officials warned on Monday, as they raised the alert to the highest level and expanded the exclusion zone.
Massive columns of thick grey smoke have been pouring out of Mount Agung since last week and they shot more than 3km into the sky early on Monday, prompting the island's international airport to be closed, leaving thousands of tourists stranded.
Ini adalah permulaan dari banjir lahar hujan. Material piroklastik erupsi Gunung Agung akan terus bertambah. Hujan akan meningkat selama musim penghujan. Potensi banjir lahan hujan akan meningkat. Jangan melakukan aktivitas di sungai. #BaliTetapAman #bali #BudayaSadarBencana pic.twitter.com/goxlyvFwk9
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) November 27, 2017
Agung started rumbling again last week and so-called cold lava flows appeared on Monday – they are similar to mud flows and are often a prelude to the blazing orange lava seen during many volcanic eruptions.
Selain erupsi yang meningkat. Banjir lahar dingin juga akan meningkat karena hujan di sekitar Gunung Agung akam meningkat. Saat ini Bali sudah masuk musim penghujan. Waspadai banjir lahar hujan (banjir lahar dingin). Jangan beraktivitas di radius berbahaya dan sekitar sungai. pic.twitter.com/HsJL6SvUwV
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) November 27, 2017
"The volcano's alert level has been raised to the highest level," said senior state volcanologist Gede Suantika. "Constant tremors can be felt."
Official statement about I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport is CLOSED due to tje volcanic ashes of Mount Agung. pic.twitter.com/ldGjCunAJd
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) November 27, 2017
Mount Agung last erupted in 1963, killing about 1 600 people, one of the deadliest eruptions in a country that has more than 120 active volcanoes.
