Mount Agung’s observatory post recorded the eruption at 3.21am local time. There have so far been on reports of any injuries after the thick ash plume was seen drifting to the south-west. 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.”
Where is Mount Agung?
Mount Agung is a volcano in Bali, Indonesia, located on the highest point on Bali.
The Bali volcano dominates the surrounding area and even influences the climate on the island, including rainfall patterns.
Since the eruption this weekend, Bali has been covered by a massive ash cloud.
Volcanic ash also hit other areas of Bali, including Bangli, Denpasar, Badung and Tabanan.
Mount Agung is also located along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The horseshoe-shaped Ring of Fire, which is 25,000 miles-long, is known for its chain of volcanoes.
The Ring is a huge are in the basin of the Pacific Ocean.
The Ring is also said to be the location for 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes.
Is it safe to travel to Bali after voclano eruption?
The I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali has not been affected by the eruption.
Airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim in Denpasar said: “Based on the result of a meeting, we decided to operate normally after considering data from all stakeholders.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is warning people to avoiding going within four kilometres of the Mount Agung crater.
Exclusion zones have been put in place by the local authority, as volcanic activity is still occurring.
The alert level for Mount Agung is also at level 3, which means the volcano could erupt again.
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.