Volcano disrupts Bali flights

Bali’s airport has cancelled or diverted several flights soon after an eruption of Mount Agung volcano.

Mount Agung volcano erupts last June, stranding thousands of tourists. In the latest event, some flights were cancelled or diverted soon after. Picture: Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP

Bali’s airport has cancelled some flights following an eruption of the Mount Agung volcano that spread ash over the south of the Indonesian island.

The national disaster agency said Friday night’s eruption lasted four minutes and 30 seconds and spread lava and incandescent rocks about three kilometres from the crater.

Nine villages experienced thick ash fall. But the agency said it was not raising the alert level for the volcano and its exclusion zone remains a 4km radius around the crater.

The Directorate General of Air Transportation said four flights to Bali were diverted and five flights out of the popular tourist destination were cancelled because of volcanic ash.

Agung became active again in 2017 after more than a half century of slumber following a major eruption in 1963.

AP