Mount Agung map: Where is the Bali volcano threatening to erupt on the Indonesian island?

Increased seismic activity at the popular tourist destination has prompted authorities to hastily evacuate about 50,000 people from the area.

As many as 300 tremors rocked the volcano over a six-hours period on Sunday, sparking fears that it could erupt for the first time in over 50 years.

The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) raised the current alert level to 4, the highest on its 1 to 4 scale.

Indonesian authorities have also issued a 12 km (7.5 mile) radius excursion zone around the crater. 

So far about 50,000 people have evacuated but the number is set to rise because about 62,000 people live in the ‘danger zone’.

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“Given the possible eruption of Mount Agung, Singaporeans should defer non-essential travel to the affected areas at this juncture,” Singapore’s foreign ministry said in an online statement.

Where is Bali?

The picturesque island and Indonesian province is a popular destination for holidaymakers from all over the world.

The Republic of Indonesia is the largest island country in the world, and consists of about 17,000 islands.

Bali is located in the westernmost parts of the the Lesser Sundra Islands, in-between Java and Lombok. 

It’s capital, Denpasar, is found on the southern part of the island. The island is known for its idyllic beaches, lush jungles and incredible wildlife. 

It is also part of the Coral Triangle, which hosts seven times more coral reef species than the entire Caribbean.

READ MORE: IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL TO BALI?

Where is Mount Agung?

The formidable Mount Agung, or Gunung Agung, is found towards the western edge of the island and southeast of Mount Batung volcano. 

Agung stands around 3,031 m (9,944 ft) tall and completely dominates the mountainous landscape.

The map above charts the volcano’s topography compared to the rest of the Pacific island.

According to the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program (GVP), Agung is the highest point on the island.

The GVP said: “The summit of Bali’s Gunung Agung volcano contains a steep-walled, 500-metre-wide, 200-metre-deep crater that is the source of Agung’s historical eruptions. 

“Grayish layers of lava flows and brownish tephra layers from explosive eruptions are exposed in the crater wall.”

Agung also plays an important role in Balinese culture and is integral to the islanders’ religious beliefs.

Balinese people who follow the Agama Tirta religion, a Shivaite sect of Hinduism, believe that the mountain is a replica of the Mt Meru, the central axis of the universe.

According to legends, the mountain is a fragment of Meru brought to the island by Hindu nomads. 

The holy site of Pura Besakih, the most important temple complex on the island, is found on the eastern slopes of the volcano nearly 1,000 metres (3,280 feet) up.

When did the Mount Agung last erupt?

On February 18, 1963, local residents reported loud explosions and smoke spewing from the top of the of the volcano.

Lava then began freely flowing down its slopes on February 24, reaching as far out as 7 km (4.3 miles) over the next 20 days.

But it was on March 17 that the volcano finally erupted, causing untold chaos and destruction on the island. Approximately 1,500 people died as a result of the blast and another 200 died after a second eruption in may.

The volcano has been active ever since, occasionally spewing smoke and ash into the sky.

The GVP has also two confirmed eruptions on record, in 1843 and 1808, as well as one unconfirmed blast in 1821.