Bali volcano closes airport for a second day amid fears of further eruptions
(CNN)A smoking Bali volcano has halted flights for another day as Indonesian emergency authorities continue widespread evacuations ahead of another possible eruption.
Almost 30,000 people have already left the area around Mount Agung since it began erupting on Saturday, spewing clouds of ash reaching as high as 9,100 meters (at least 5.6 miles).
Clouds of smoke continued to pour from the crater Tuesday morning, with authorities remaining on the highest alert level possible in anticipation of another, larger eruption.
Indonesia's National Agency for Disaster Management maintained a Level 4 alert, mandating no public activities within 10 kilometers of the peak.
Arie Ahsanurrohim, spokesman for Bali's largest airport, Ngurah Rai, announced early Tuesday morning flights would be grounded for another day over fears of volcanic ash.
Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Passengers gather at the Gusti Ngurah Rai International airport in Denpasar, Bali on Monday, November 27, after flights were canceled because of ash from erupting Mount Agung volcano.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Volcanic material from the eruption flows through a local river in Gesing Villageon November 27, while villagers watch nearby ,in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Residents at Gesing village are seen sitting in front of a sign restricting entry to the area on November 27, in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Evacuees unload building materials for temporary shelters at Rendang Evacuation Center on November 27, in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Mount Agung spews volcanic ash into the night sky on Monday, November 27, near Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia. Authorities have issued the highest-level warning possible after volcanic eruptions from Mount Agung on the Indonesian resort island of Bali forced the closure of the island's main airport and evacuation of thousands of residents living nearby.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
A villager takes his cows to a field with Mount Agung volcano seen in the background near Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia, Tuesday, Novenber 28. The eruption has forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Ash and debris erupt from Mount Agung on November 28.Thick ash started shooting thousands of meters into the air above Mount Agung on Saturday, November 25.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Students stand on a truck on their way to go to school, with erupting Mount Agung in the distance. The National Agency for Disaster Management issued a Level 4 alert on Monday, November 27, indicating the potential for another larger eruption and recommending no public activities within 8 to 10 kilometers from the peak of the volcano.
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Passengers gather at the Gusti Ngurah Rai International airport in Denpasar, Bali on Monday, November 27, after flights were canceled because of ash from erupting Mount Agung volcano.
Hide Caption
5 of 8
Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Volcanic material from the eruption flows through a local river in Gesing Villageon November 27, while villagers watch nearby ,in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Residents at Gesing village are seen sitting in front of a sign restricting entry to the area on November 27, in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia.
Hide Caption
7 of 8
Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Evacuees unload building materials for temporary shelters at Rendang Evacuation Center on November 27, in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia.
Hide Caption
8 of 8
Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Mount Agung spews volcanic ash into the night sky on Monday, November 27, near Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia. Authorities have issued the highest-level warning possible after volcanic eruptions from Mount Agung on the Indonesian resort island of Bali forced the closure of the island's main airport and evacuation of thousands of residents living nearby.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
A villager takes his cows to a field with Mount Agung volcano seen in the background near Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia, Tuesday, Novenber 28. The eruption has forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Ash and debris erupt from Mount Agung on November 28.Thick ash started shooting thousands of meters into the air above Mount Agung on Saturday, November 25.
Hide Caption
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Photos: Indonesia's Mount Agung volcano erupts
Students stand on a truck on their way to go to school, with erupting Mount Agung in the distance. The National Agency for Disaster Management issued a Level 4 alert on Monday, November 27, indicating the potential for another larger eruption and recommending no public activities within 8 to 10 kilometers from the peak of the volcano.
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All flights out of the airport are grounded until 7 a.m. local time Wednesday. More than 50,000 domestic and international passengers have already been stranded by the eruption.
Bali is a popular tourist destination in eastern Indonesia which sees more than a million visitors from Australia every year, as well as hundreds of thousands from around the region, including China.
Tourists spoke to CNN of the travel chaos caused by the volcano, with some unable to leave Bali for three days.
Ash began spewing from Agung after it erupted three times on Saturday, beginning at around 5.30 p.m. local time. More eruptions followed on Sunday, with a "medium-pressure" event in the early evening.
News Courtesy: www.cnn.com
