Indonesia’s Bali resort island reopened Ngurah Rai International Airport at 1:30 pm on June 29 (local time)(Photo: AFP/VNA) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s Bali resort island reopened Ngurah Rai International Airport at 1:30 pm on June 29 (local time) after Mount Agung’s eruption disrupted hundreds of flights and left thousands stranded.
The airport was originally scheduled to be closed from 2am to 6pm on the day.
Indonesia’s second busiest airport canceled 115 international flights and 203 domestic others. The disruption has affected nearly 27,000 passengers.
The airport spokesman said that relevant authority has kept close watch on the volcano’s activities and the airport will be closed if Mount Agung’s eruption threatens flight safety.
Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines.
Mount Agung rumbled back to life last year and has been erupting periodically since then. Its latest eruption on June 28 and 29 belched a plume of smoke and ash more than 2,500 metres into the sky.
Agung’s major eruption in 1963 killed around 1,600 people and injured hundreds others.
Indonesia is the world’s most active volcanic region and lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities.-VNA
VNA
