A rumbling volcano on the resort island of Bali could erupt at any moment, authorities warned today as they raised alert levels to maximum, accelerated a mass evacuation and closed the main airport, leaving tourists stranded.
Massive columns of thick grey smoke that have been belching from Mount Agung since last week hae now begun shooting more than three kilometres (two miles) into the sky, forcing flights to be grounded.
Some 40,000 frightened people have fled their homes around the volcano but as many as 100,000 will likely be forced to leave, disaster agency officials said after raising the alert to its highest level.
The exclusion zone around Agung, which is 75 kilometres from the beachside tourist hub of Kuta, has also been widened to 10 kilometres.
“Continuous ash puffs are sometimes accompanied by explosive eruptions and a weak booming sound,” the National Board for Disaster Management said.
“The rays of fire are increasingly observed at night. This indicates the potential for a larger eruption is imminent.”
Agung rumbled back to life in September, forcing the evacuation of 140,000 people living nearby. Its activity decreased in late October and many returned to their homes.