Volcanic Eruption At Mount Lewotobi Forces Mass Flight Cancellations In Bali
A total of 80 flights in Bali, including those from Singapore, Hong Kong, and several Australian cities, have been cancelled from 4 to 12 November.
By Aleya Natasha Mohd Ali — 13 Nov 2024, 05:05 PM
Several international airlines have cancelled flights to and from Indonesia’s resort island of Bali after a volcanic eruption spewed ash clouds as high as 10km into the atmosphere
Reuters reported that Jetstar and Qantas halted their flights to Bali today, 13 November, citing safety concerns related to the volcanic ash.
Meanwhile, flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed that AirAsia and Virgin flights to the island were also cancelled.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted on 3 November in East Nusa Tenggara province, about 800km from Bali, killing nine people
Since then, the volcano has continued to erupt multiple times, including several eruptions yesterday, 12 November.
Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, the general manager of Bali's Ngurah Rai airport, said 80 flights in Bali, including those from Singapore, Hong Kong, and several Australian cities, have been cancelled from 4 to 12 November.
Indonesia, which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, has almost 130 active volcanoes and experiences frequent seismic activity due to its location atop multiple tectonic plates.
Authorities said the ash column from Mount Lewotobi has reached as high as 10km, with sandfall blanketing surrounding areas.
