
Jakarta (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia has issuedtravel warning for Vietnamese tourists with intention to visit resort island ofBali as Indonesian authority has raised the alert for Mount Agung eruption tothe highest level.
According to the Embassy, a group of Vietnamese tourists who were stranded inBali due to the closure of Depansar International Airport had contacted the embassyfor support. They were directed to travel to western Bali island to Surabayacity by ferry and then took a flight to Jakarta, the Embassy said, adding thatthe tourists had safely arrived in Jakarta on November 27 evening.
In case of urgent support, Vietnamese citizens can contact the embassy’s hotline at 62811161025.
Thousands oftourists are being stuck in Bali as many flights have been cancelled due to thevolcano’s eruption.
A report from local aviation navigation authorities showed that "aircraftflight channels are covered with volcanic ash", Indonesia's transportationministry said.
Denpansar airport, about 60 km (37miles) from the volcano, will be closed until 7 a.m. local time on November 29,it said.
Ten alternativeairports have been prepared for airlines to divert inbound flights, includingin neighbouring provinces.
Agung risesmajestically over eastern Bali to a height of just over 3,000 metres (9,800feet).
On November 27,authorities ordered 100,000 residents living near the volcano to evacuate immediately,warning that the first major eruption in 54 years could be"imminent". An 8-10 km exclusion zone has been imposed around thesummit.
Agung's lasteruption in 1963 killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages byhurling out pyroclastic material, hot ash, lava and lahar. The mountexperienced unprecedented levels of seismic activity in September, resulting inthe evacuation of 140,000 local residents.
Mount Agung is one of more than 120 active volcanoes extending the length ofIndonesia, which straddles the Pacific Ring of Fire.-VNA