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Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano continues to spit hot ash. This has disrupted tourist activities in several regions of the country.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano is an active volcano in Indonesia.
It has been more than a week since Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano erupted. Set on Flores Island, the volcanic eruption continues to spit hot ash which led to major disruption in the whole region. As per the reports, the recent event has resulted in the death of nine individuals. As of now, the ash clouds have reached the heights of 10 km (6.2 miles), forcing the evacuation of residents living nearby. Additionally, the eruption has resulted in the suspension of numerous international flights to and from Bali.
Safety concerns surrounding volcanic ash first prompted Jetstar and Qantas Airlines to stop their air services to Bali on Wednesday. On the other hand, Flightradar24 indicated that AirAsia and Virgin had also suspended flights to the island. Singapore Airlines, too, confirmed the cancellation of its flight from Bali to Singapore due to the volcanic activity. The eruptions that released a massive 9 km (6.2 miles) ash column into the sky over the weekend caused thousands of visitors to be stuck at airports. That’s not all. Lombok International Airport in West Nusa Tenggara also halted the operation, shutting down completely, according to a statement from an airport official to Indonesia’s Antara news agency.
A total of 80 flight cancellations have been reported from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport between November 4 and November 12. The halt in these services has impacted both domestic and international routes comprising cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and several Australian locations. The eruptions had affected a total of 90 flights till Wednesday afternoon. These flights include 26 domestic and 64 international flights.
Beyond the travelling services which include numerous airlines, the unfortunate event has also affected several local cultural events which primarily include the jazz festival in Labuan Bajo has been postponed until next year. Labuan Bajo is located approximately 600km away from Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki. The jazz festival, initially scheduled for this year, will now be celebrated next year given the safety concerns.
FYI, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, an active volcano, is set in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province.