THE smoking Mount Agung volcano in tourist hotspot Bali has been hit by 300 huge tremors over a six-hour period, sparking fears it could erupt for the first time in 50 years.
Despite the terrifying tremors, tourism chiefs have insisted the eastern Indonesia holiday hotspot is still safe to visit .
The earthquake-like tremors were picked up between midnight and 6am local time on Sunday.
Plumes of smoke were also detected rising up to 200 metres over the crater.
Officials said on Sunday morning that the volcano had not yet erupted and there did not appear to be any ash.
However, a 12km zone circling the mountain has been declared unsafe, they said.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, of the National Disaster Management Agency, said: “Volcanic activity remains high and there are indications of magma rising to the surface and causing tremors.”
Bali’s international airport, which is used by up to 60,000 passengers every day, was also open as normal.
Director general of air transport, Agus Santoso, insisted the island was safe to visit.
He declared buses would be on hand in the event that flight were affected.
Mr Santoso tweeted: “Bali tourism is safe. Do not spread misleading news that Bali is not safe because Mount Agung is on the highest alert status.
“Please come and visit Bali.”
He told the Sydney Morning Herald that flights would only be hit if ash was detected.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said the number of people fleeing their homes had tripled since Friday.
So far, almost 35,000 people have been evacuated from the area with two fires breaking out this week.
Another 50,000 could need to leave if the volcano does erupt.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has urged travellers to check with their airline before heading out.
Mount Agung last erupted in 1963, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring many more.
The 3,031-metre volcano remained active for around year and flung ash up to 10km high.
Agung, found around 70km northeast of tourist favourite Kuta, is one of over 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia.