Mount Agung spews ash, forces flight cancellations in Bali

As Mount Agung's smoke blanketed the Indonesian island of Bali, disaster experts raised the alert to the highest level on Nov. 27. They warned residents near the summit to leave immediately. (Reuters)

A volcano spewing massive columns of ash in Bali, Indonesia, has grounded international flights with dual eruptions.

For the first time since it killed about 1,100 people in 1963, Mount Agung erupted last week, on Tuesday, but authorities chose not to raise the alert level, according to the Associated Press.

When Mount Agung spouted off for a second time just four days later, disaster experts raised the level to 4, the highest level.

As of today, Nov. 27, the U.S. State Department said travel to and from Bali was “still deemed safe” but warned that visitors there might run into extra travel expenses.

Amateur video posted to social media showed ash rising in dark, bulky clouds in a golden-hued sky over palm trees and houses.

Ash and smoke spewed from an erupting Mount Agung in Bali, Indonesia, Nov. 26, causing international fights to be grounded overnight. (SAY YOGA/YouTube)

Social media users captured Mount Agung in Bali, Indonesia, spewing smoke. (Agus Sutarjaya/Facebook and Daniele Curzi/Instagram)

The Associated Press reported that 40,000 people had evacuated the area and that authorities were urging more to leave.

Several airlines canceled flights over the weekend and Monday. Bali's international airport closed, citing “Agung volcanic ash.”

[Travel advisory] Updates on #AirAsia Flights due to Mount Agung Eruption as of 27 November 2017 19:30 HRS LT (GMT +8) Bali, 27 November 2017 http://pic.twitter.com/CoIDq25kDL

— AirAsia (@AirAsia) November 27, 2017

On Friday, scientists released video showing what they said was a new hole in the volcano’s crater.

Scientists discovered what they called a "new hole" in the middle of Mount Agung's crater, Nov. 24, as they assessed the status of Indonesia's active volcano. (MAGMA/CVGHM)

Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) reported that more than 120,000 people fled their homes when Mount Agung began smoldering in September.

Mount Agung is a stratovolcano. According to Oregon State University’s Volcano World, startovolcanoes tend to have cooler, more viscous lava. The video below shows the gritty, cold lava that poured out of Mount Agung this week.

Cold lava flows from Mount Agung volcano in Bali, Indonesia on Nov. 27. (AP)

Let's block ads! (Why?)

from WorldViews http://ift.tt/2BrS7eF