No injuries have been reported after the eruption took place at 3.21am local time. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency said: “This a normal situation of an active volcano and there is no need for the public to panic, as long as they remain outside the danger zone. “Don’t try to get closer to the crater to document the volcanic activity in the crater.”
What is the history behind Mount Agung?
Mount Agung is located on the highest point on Bali and dominates the surrounding area.
The volcano even influences the climate on the island, including rainfall patterns.
Mount Agung is also one of the clusters of four that divides the island into northern and southern parts.
All the mountains are considered sacred, but Agung has another level of sacredness as it is the highest peak.
People in Bali are Hindus and so they respect mountains as the dwelling of the gods.
Mount Agung is said to be the home of Mahadewa, who is the supreme manifestation of Lord Shiva, the most superior of all gods.
Mount Agung is also located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is a horseshoe-shaped Ring of Fire, which is 25,000 miles-long.
The Ring is also known for its chain of volcanoes.
The Ring of Fire is a huge are in the basin of the Pacific Ocean.
This is also said to be the location for 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes.
Mount Agung also had an eruption on June 28. 2018, causing thousands of people to be evacuated.
The explosion of gas and air resulted in Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and other nearby airports to close.
Before then, the last major eruption of Agung in 1963 killed around 1,600 people.
This eruption took place three days before the traditional religious Galungan ceremony and wiped out thousands of homes.
Mount Agung’s first recorded eruption was mentioned in a traditional chronicle text, which claimed an eruption occurred in 89 AD.