Illustrative photo. (Source: pitara.com)
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia has freshly been hit by a volcanic eruption and a quake, causing local concerns and temporary airport closure.
Ash spewed from Mount Rinjani, an active volcano on the nearby island of Lombok has forced authorities to shut Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport for safety reasons. Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Cathay Pacific, and AirAsia are among the most affected airlines.
On November 3 - the first day of airport closure, at least 11 international and nine domestic flights were cancelled.
Currently, volcanic ash drifts from a height of 6,000 metres, covering seven villages in north Lombok.
In July, Mount Raung in East Java erupted, stranding thousands of passengers on Bali for days during the peak holiday season.
On November 4, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia. Minor property damage was recorded but no casualties so far.
According to the US Geological Survey, the quake struck at a depth of 14km kilometres (8.5 miles) under the Alor Sea, approximately 77 kilometres from the East Timorese capital of Dili.
A disaster agency official in Alor, a remote string of islands closest to the epicentre, said strong seismic activity was noticed in the district for almost two minutes.
The quake did not trigger a tsunami but shocked people in Alor, said Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
Indonesia lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activities.-VNA
