Bali: Several international airlines have resumed flights to and from Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, an official said on Thursday, after multiple eruptions of the Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano belched ash up to 10 km (16 miles) into the air. The eruptions of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Nusa Tenggara province forced the cancellation of more than 160 flights to and from Bali between November 4 to November 13, with 91 flights halted on Wednesday, the most in one day, said Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, general manager of Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar.
East Nusa Tenggara is located about 800 km from Bali’s popular tourist destinations.
VIDEO: Volcano on remote Indonesia island continues to belch hot ash after deadly eruption
Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka is expected to visit several areas affected by the eruption on Thursday and distribute aid to the residents. The first eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki on Nov. 3 killed at least nine people, damaged more than 2,000 houses and forced the evacuation of 13,000 residents. On Thursday, Virgin Australia said in a statement that it had resumed all scheduled flights in and out of Denpasar.
Jetstar and Qantas resumed flights
Jetstar and Qantas said in a statement that they have resumed some of their flights to and from Bali as conditions had improved on Thursday morning. Ahmad said 41 flights were still cancelled on Thursday, including from Singapore, India, Qatar, and several cities in Australia.
Indonesia has close to 130 active volcanoes and sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an area of high seismic activity atop various tectonic plates. About 6,500 people were evacuated in January after Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki began erupting, spewing thick clouds and forcing the government to close the island’s Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport. No casualties or major damage were reported, but the airport has remained closed because of seismic activity.
Three other airports in neighbouring districts of Ende, Larantuka and Bajawa have been closed since Monday after Indonesia’s Air Navigation issued a safety warning because of volcanic ash.
(With inputs from agency)
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