Increased volcanic and seismic activity in Indonesia should be a call for attention for Bali tourists.
While all flights and transportation services are currently running normally in Bali, increased volcanic activity in Java and the Flores Islands, as well as Bali’s proximity to two active volcanoes, means the guard can never fully be put down.
On Thursday, 17th July, at 4.30 am local time, Mount Semeru in East Java erupted twice. Volcanic ash plumes flew 1km into the air, followed by a comparatively smaller eruption which threw an ash cloud 800m above the summit of the peak. The eruption was recorded with an amplitude of 22mm and lasted 170 seconds.
In his second update published on Thursday, Mukas Sofian from the Semeru Observation Post, told reporters, “Mount Semeru erupted again at 7.42 am with a night of the eruption column observed at around 1,000 metres above the peak, or 4,676 meters above sea level.”
He confirmed that Mount Semeru is still on Level II Alert Status, which means that the public is prohibited from carrying out any activities on or around the volcano peak for a radius of 8km from the southeastern edge of the peak, in the Besuk Kobokan area.
Sofian added, “The public is absolutely advised not to carry out activities within a three-kilometre radius of the greater of Mount Semeru due to the risk of being hit by ejected incandescent rocks.”
On the 4th July, Mount Semeru also erupted at 04.47 local time with a maximum amplitude of 22 mm and a duration of 124 seconds. A series of eruptions have also been recorded at East Java’s Mount Raung in the last month.
Over on the Flores Islands, Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki has been erupting on a regular basis for the last 10 months. On several occasions, eruptions and ash clouds have impacted travel between Australia, China, Singapore, and India. Just 10 days ago, on Monday, 7th July, Mount Lewotobi Laki erupted once again.
In an announcement issued on the day Indonesia’s MAGMA Agency confirmed that the volcano spewed a mixed cloud of ash, lava, and gas 19km into the air, creating an avalanche and lava flow for 5km down the volcano. The eruption impacted dozens of flights in and out of Bali’s I Gusti Ngruah Rai International Airport. Virgin Australia and Qantas took a cautious approach to the natural disaster.
Virgin Australia told passengers, “The safety of our guests and crew is our highest priority, and our team of expert meteorologists is closely monitoring the situation and ash cloud activity…We regret the impact of this on guests’ travel plans and encourage guests travelling to or from Bali to closely monitor their flight status via the Virgin Australia website or app.”
Tourists traveling to Bali in the coming months are advised to check in with their airline in the hours before departing for their airport and to ensure that they have fully comprehensive travel insurance that covers delays, disruptions, and cancellations as a result of natural disasters.
Tourists should have all of the contact details for their travel providers and travel insurance providers easily at hand throughout their trips. It is also advisable to follow the I Gusti Ngruah Rai Airport Instagram account, as well as the Indonesia Immigration Instagram account.
Every country also has its own travel advice bureau for its citizens. For example, tourists from Australia can also check in with updates issued by Smartraveler before or during their trip to ensure that they are up to date with the latest travel warnings, guidelines, and policy updates.
Tourists are also advised to familiarize themselves with Indonesian Immigration law, particularly the Emergency Stay Permit, which can be applied for in the event of a natural disaster, pandemic, or medical emergency.
Remove All Ads & Unlock All Articles… Sign up for The Bali Sun Premium
Plan Your Bali Holiday:
Book The Best English Speaking Drivers For Airport Transfers & Tours
Choose From Thousands of Bali Hotels, Resorts, and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
Book Cheap Flights To Bali
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance That Covers Medical Expenses In Bali
For the latest Bali News & Debate Join our Facebook Community
SUBSCRIBE TO NEW POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Bali Sun’s latest breaking news, straight to your inbox.
Discover more from The Bali Sun
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.