Kuta, Bali, (Antara) - Dozens of domestic and international flights at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport of Bali have been cancelled as the airport was closed temporarily since Thursday night due to the eruption of Mount Raung in East Java Province.
Co-General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I of I gusti Ngurah Rai Airport I Gusti Ngurah Ardita said here on Friday that the airport has been temporarily closed since Thursday (July 9) at 09:27 p.m. local time (GMT+8) and will not be open until 09:30 am on Friday.
"We are still compiling the number of flights which cannot be on operation on this Friday due to Mount Raung's eruption. We estimate dozens of flight will be cancelled or rescheduled," Ardita said.
On Thursday, there were 28 flights in the airport cancelled due to the natural catastrophe, while 15 flights were postponed or rescheduled by the airlines.
Ardita said that some domestic and international flights have been cancelled as the volcanic ash from Mount Raung eruption disrupt routes linking Denpasar to some domestic destination and several cities in Australia.
"For safety reason, some airplanes could not fly to Bali," Ardita said.
The airport authority has been coordinating with some airlines to handle thousands of air passengers whose flights have been cancelled since the airport was closed.
Mount Raung is one of the active volcanoes in Java Island. It is 3,332 meters above sea level and is located at the border of Jember, Bondowoso, and Banyuwangi districts.
It has a 2-kilometer wide caldera surrounded by a grayish rim. The difference in color of the rim and the flanks of the volcano is caused by the rim's lack of vegetation as compared to the healthy and extensive vegetation on the flanks.
The PVMBG increased the status of Mount Raung from Waspada (alert level II) to Siaga (alert level III) on Monday (June 29).
The volcano erupted on Sunday (July 5), spewing a plume of smoke 400 meter high to southeast, incandescent cinder and lava flows.(*)
