Tag Archives: Eruption

Menacing Bali volcano throws tourists’ plans into jeopardy

Menacing Bali volcano throws tourists' plans into jeopardy

By Nyimas Laula

KARANGASEM, Indonesia (Reuters) – Some tourists are having second thoughts about visiting the tropical Indonesian resort island of Bali after repeated warnings that its highest volcano could erupt at any time, half a century after it killed more than 1,000 people.

Strong volcanic tremors rumbling underground and billowing white smoke over the scenic Mount Agung have raised alarm, prompting the evacuation of more than 75,000 people within 12 km (7.5 miles).

Sitting on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia has nearly 130 active volcanoes, more than any other country. Many Indonesians live near volcanoes because lava flows make the surrounding soil and land fertile for farming.

Several countries, including Australia, Singapore, and the United States, have issued travel advisories alerting holidaymakers to the new risk. And a hotel operator in Bali said news of the volcano had caused cancellations.

“Business is getting low since Mount Agung’s alert status was raised to the highest level,” said Ketut Purnawata, manager of Dasawana Resort, which is in the same district as the volcano, popular with tourists and hikers.

Nearly five million people visited Bali last year – most of them from Australia, China and Japan.

Airlines in Australia and Singapore said they were preparing for any disruptions due to an eruption, but flights were running normally for now.

Virgin Australia and Jetstar, both of which fly to Bali from Australia, said they would carry extra fuel in case they needed to change course.

Jetstar and Singapore-based budget carrier Scoot said they had been contacted by a small number of customers looking to change their travel dates. “Less than 100 customers chose to rebook to a later date,” a Scoot spokeswoman said.

Singapore Airlines and its short-haul arm SilkAir said customers traveling to Bali until Oct. 2 could rebook or request a refund, while AirAsia said flights were operating normally.

One Indonesian travel agency said it had seen some cancellations.

“There will definitely be an impact on (sales of) tour packages but we don’t know the figures yet,” said Agustinus Pake Seko of PT Bayu Buana travel agency.

President Joko Widodo visited shelters near Mount Agung on Tuesday and urged residents to follow evacuation procedures after reports that some people were reluctant to leave their homes because nothing had happened.

“While the government will continue to try to minimize the economic losses of the community, the most important priority is the safety of the people here,” Widodo told reporters.

“So I ask all people around Mount Agung to follow instructions from the officials and minimize the impact of this volcano.”

Life was going along largely as normal on the island famous for its beaches, temples and gentle Hindu culture.

One Spanish tourist, Jordi Portalo, 23, said he wasn’t troubled.

“I think it could happen but…maybe we’d have to stay here a couple more days, so nothing to worry about,” he said sitting at a cafe next to the trademark white surfing beach of Nusa Dua.

The last time Mount Agung erupted was in 1963, before tourism took off, when streams of lava traveled as far as 7 km along its slopes, killing more than 1,000 villagers.

More recent ash clouds from volcanic eruptions have also disrupted tourism in Bali and other parts of Indonesia.

Hundreds of domestic and international flights were disrupted in 2016 when a volcano erupted on Bali’s neighboring Lombok island, sending columns of ash and debris into the air.

(Additional reporting by Jamie Freed in SINGAPORE, Cindy Silviana and Fransiska Nangoy in JAKARTA and Ed Davies in NUSA DUA; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Bali’s rumbling volcano spurs travel warnings from Australia, Singapore

The sun sets behind Mount Agung, a volcano on the highest alert level, from Amed on the resort island of Bali, Indonesia September 25, 2017.

By Nyimas Laula

Karangasem, INDONESIA (Reuters) – Fears that a volcano could erupt imminently on the holiday island of Bali prompted several countries to issue travel warnings, while Indonesian authorities raced to evacuate tens of thousands of people living in the “danger zone”.

Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States and the U.K. issued advisories on Monday and at the weekend warning that increased volcanic activity at Mount Agung in eastern Bali could disrupt flights at one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

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

Bali’s international airport was operating normally on Monday, as were tourist spots across the island.

Indonesian authorities have imposed a 12-km (7.5 miles)exclusion zone around the crater.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said on Monday that around 62,000 people lived within the “danger zone” around the volcano and that they all needed to evacuate, though so far only 50,00 had moved to the temporary shelters provided in neighboring villages.

“There are some who are staying behind because the volcano hasn’t erupted yet or because of religious beliefs,” said BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

“Our staff are combing the area and urging everyone to evacuate,” he said, speaking at a news conference in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

Nugroho said Mount Agung has entered a “critical phase”, meaning magma has risen closer to the surface, as indicated by hundreds of shallow volcanic tremors that have rattled the area in recent days.

Evacuees are being housed in makeshift shelters like town halls and school gyms. Host communities were providing food and water, while the central and local governments were providing tents, blankets and other relief.

Officials have urged the public to remain calm amid false reports and videos circulating online of an eruption.

Indonesia, which sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, has nearly 130 active volcanoes, more than any other country. Many Indonesians live near volcanoes because lava flows can make the surrounding soil and land fertile for farming.

 

(Additional reporting by Jessica Damiana and Kanupriya Kapoor in JAKARTA; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

 

Volcanic explosion on Mount Etna injures 10 people

FILE PHOTO A tourist stands in front of Italy's Mount Etna, Europe's tallest and most active volcano, as it spews lava during an eruption on the southern island of Sicily, Italy February 28, 2017. REUTERS/Antonio Parrinello/File photo

ROME (Reuters) – Ten people were injured in an eruption on Mount Etna on Thursday when magma flowing into snow caused a violent explosion that sent stones and rocks flying into the air, emergency services said.

Amongst those hurt near the summit of Etna on the island of Sicily were members of a television crew filming for the BBC.

“Running down a mountain pelted by rocks, dodging burning boulders and boiling steam – not an experience I ever ever want to repeat,” the BBC’s science correspondent Rebecca Morelle wrote on Twitter.

“BBC team all ok – some cuts/ bruises and burns. Very shaken though – it was extremely scary,” she said.

Italian officials said six people had to be taken to hospital, but none were in a serious condition.

Etna is Europe’s most active volcano. After a quiet couple of years it burst into action in February with repeated explosive eruptions that sent orange plumes of lava into the air.

Thursday’s explosion was the result of a so-called phreatomagmatic eruption, caused by magma hitting water — in this case snow.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; editing by Richard Lough)

Japan’s Mount Aso Erupts Without Warning

One of the world’s largest volcanos erupted without warning Monday morning.

Mount Aso, on the Japanese island of Kyushu, exploded without any warning tremors and is sending a plume of ash and smoke over a mile into the sky.

A group of 30 tourists who were near the crater at the time of the blast were safely recovered by police.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency raised the alert level for one of the mountain’s peaks to level 3 on a 5 level scale, meaning that the public should avoid the mountain out of fear of hot rocks shooting from the plume.

The volcano, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, has produced more explosive eruptions than any other volcano in the world.  The caldera of the mountain is 12 miles in diameter and has smaller active peaks in the middle.

A 2.5 mile exclusion zone is now in effect around the mountain.  The area includes restaurants and museums but no residential homes.  All flights from nearby Kumanoto Airport have been cancelled or re-routed.

Explosion Reported At Alaskan Volcano

Scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported Tuesday a major explosion that rocked the Cleveland Volcano.

The scientists said that the explosion likely produced an ash cloud but that it stayed below 20,000 feet and was not a threat to commercial aircraft.

“We see this quite often and we think that they are associated with some sort of ash production,” U.S. Geological Survey geologist Kristi Wallace said.

The AVO recorded a similar explosion from the Ring of Fire placed volcano last November.

The Cleveland Volcano forms the western part of Chuginadak Island and is about 940 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska.

The volcano has been seismically active over the last 14 years, with occasional lava flows and small ash clouds that stay below the 20,000 foot level of concern by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mount Raung Eruption Forces Flight Cancellations

Flights into and out of Bali are suspended due to the eruption of Mount Raung.

The volcano burst to life on Thursday but winds are now carrying the ash from the eruption toward Denpasar Airport.  The ash is being described as “not very thick” and from “a weak plume” yet it was enough to endanger aircraft.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said that the plume could cause cancelled flights for a few more days.  Some airlines were hoping to resume service on Sunday but most said they were counting on local officials.

“Our team of meteorologists are continuing to monitor the situation, in consultation with the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre,” Virgin Australia said in a statement.  “The safety of our guests and crew is our highest priority, and we will recommence normal operations as soon as the volcanic ash safely allows it.”

Witnesses say the ash is so fine in the area around the airport that most people don’t even realize something is happening with the volcano.  Sally Neville was traveling to Bali on vacation with her family and have found them broken up because of cancelled and rescheduled flights.

“We had booked and planned this holiday for four months,” she said.  “The ash is not visible in Bali, the locals are unaware of the volcano.”

Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Experiences Very Slight Eruption

The partial collapse of a crater wall caused an explosion and eruption Sunday at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said that the small explosion spread lava and debris around the rim of the Halemaumau Crater.  USGS geologist Janet Babb compared the blast to striking the top of a bottle of champagne.

“You look at the bottle and you see the liquid, but you don’t see the gas,” she said. “There’s a lot of gas in the lava. And so, when that rock fall hits the lava lake, it’s like the moment you knock the top of the champagne bottle off and that gas is released and it hurls molten lava and rock fragments.”

Babb said the small eruption sent rocks flying about 280 feet into the air.

The lava lake had reached record levels last week, reaching a point where it could be seen from an observation deck for the first time since its construction.  The explosion was the first time that a lake similar to his one has been seen since 1974.

USGS scientists say the vent within the Halemaumau Crater has been rising and falling since it first opened.  A 3.6 magnitude earthquake struck the area Monday morning.

Colima Volcano Erupts Twice in One Day

Mexico’s Colima volcano is causing local officials to dust off evacuation plans.

The volcano erupted twice in one day and is spewing large plumes of hot ash into the sky.  The ash has been raining onto the homes of residents’ miles away from the mountain.  The largest of the plumes reached two miles into the sky.

Local officials are preparing to evacuate residents if the mountain continues to increase in eruption intensity.  The last time an evacuation was required was in 2005.

The volcano is considered one of the most active in the nation.

The country’s national civil protection agency has a station three miles from the volcano to monitor for severe eruptions.

 

Indonesia Volcano Erupts

A volcano in Eastern Indonesia erupted Friday, sending hot ash into the air and surprising hikers all over the mountain.

Officials say that nine people were injured and at least one person is missing as the hot ash continues to fall on the mountain.

A spokesman for Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency said that Mount Gamalama sent a plume of smoke over 6,500 feet into the sky.  Slow moving lava has been moving down the peak but no evacuation orders have been issued to surrounding villages.

The airport in Ternate, about 20 miles from the volcano, has been forced to close.  Schools and offices were also closed and evacuated because of the ash.

Mount Gamalama, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, had its last major eruption in 2012.

Bardarbunga Volcano Erupts In Iceland; Tavurcur In Papua New Guinea

Volcanoes on opposite ends of the world erupted on Thursday.

The Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland, which has been the subject of close monitoring by seismologists since a series of earthquakes began weeks ago, finally broke through the ice covering with what the Iceland Met Office called a “fissure eruption.”

The volcano had erupted under the ice earlier this week leading to an aviation warning but it was canceled when the volcano’s activity appeared to cease.  The latest eruption reportedly has lava spewing to the surface but “has not shown signs of volcanic ash.”

Despite the lack of ash, the aviation warning level has been raised to red and flights are being diverted around the volcano’s area.

Aviation experts have also placed a warning over the Tavurcur volcano in Papua New Guinea following an eruption Thursday.

The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center has been monitoring the ash cloud and providing updates to airlines.  The cloud of ash has been drifting southwest since the eruption.

“The volcanic eruption reached the top of the atmosphere at 50,000 feet which is the same height as which planes travel,” said meteorologist Ian Shepherd  “It’s too early to say at this point if the ash cloud will reach Australia but it was a significant eruption.”