The warnings that the volcano will erupt consequently meant that nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the Indonesian resort Island of Bali.
Now the island faces yet another challenge, what to do with the cattle left behind by the villagers.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency estimates that 30,000 head of cattle are in the danger zone of the volcano that has been shaking since August.
Wayan Merta, a villager who lived just four miles from the crater, said he sold his family’s cattle before fleeing “because we thought it was better than leaving them there fore nothing.”
10,000 cows of the cows around the area have either been sold by those fleeing, or taken away by their owners.
It is estimated that around 60,000 people lived in the danger zone of the volcano that threatens to erupt for the first time in 50 years.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, an agency spokesman said: “There are still people who don’t want to be evacuated.
“The reason is firstly, the mountain hasn’t erupted yet. Secondly, they are worried about their livestock.”
The situation has proved difficult due to the limited number of trucks available.
Local animal husbandry officials are attempting to evacuate the remaining cows, but only 1,400 have been removed so far.
The large amount of cows need large quantities of feed, about 1,200 tons of dry feed a month as well as grazing.
Nengah Sativa left his home in Bali last week, but said he had returned to the danger zone to tend to his pigs and chickens.
He said: “There are many livestock in our village but nobody is taking care of them.
“We take turns going back to feed them.”