Bali Flights Canceled as Mount Lewotobi Erupts, Forcing Thousands to Evacuate

At least seven international flights from Bali have been canceled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted, sending ash eight kilometers into the sky.

The 1,703-meter volcano on Flores Island erupted late Thursday for over 11 minutes, prompting authorities to raise its alert status to the highest level.

Ngurah Rai International Airport confirmed Friday that six canceled flights were Jetstar routes to Australia, and one was an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Several other flights, including to Thailand, Singapore, and Australia, faced delays.

More than 4,700 residents have been evacuated, and local authorities declared a 14-day emergency, setting up a command post for relief efforts.

Officials warned of volcanic mudflows due to heavy rain, and an exclusion zone of up to eight kilometers has been imposed around the volcano.

Mount Lewotobi previously erupted in November, killing nine people and causing mass evacuations.

Indonesia frequently experiences volcanic activity as part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”