A massive volcano eruption spewed a giant ash mushroom cloud into the sky on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali, local officials reported Friday, causing flight cancellations to and from the island and diverting flights over the area to nearby Australia, but thankfully didn’t result in any known casualties.
Mount Agung volcano was described by Reuters as shooting lava and and hail of rocks at a distance of about 2 miles. Despite an ash column rising some 3,000 meters into the air, impacting the air over dozens of villages, the latest volcanic activity did not cause an evacuation of the island.
Bali authorities said they’ve prepared 50,000 masks to have on hand as a precaution for the tropical island that attracts over 5 million tourists a year.
Agung has been closely monitored, especially since late 2017 when authorities raised the alert level, noticing a spike in activity and lava flows. The volcano has produced an increase in smaller-scale eruptions since then.
Caution has been geared toward an early warning system and smooth evacuation that could prevent another tragedy similar to the major 1963 eruption, which had killed over 1,000 people and destroyed many villages.
The dramatic moment of Mount Agung’s eruption on Friday was caught on video by monitors.
May 24, 2019 ~ Mount Agung Eruption from VolcanoYT. #agung #volcano #eruption #bali #indonesia
VolcanoYT:https://t.co/ZPhT8MEx2A
This clip is taken from a new camera owned and operated by VolcanoYT. pic.twitter.com/ggDvIVkAhd— Volcano Time-Lapse (@DavidHe11952876) May 24, 2019
A 2017 evacuation had reportedly caused chaos as locals and tourists alike attempted to hastily exit the island at the same time.
The 2017 eruption caused authorities to attempt the evacuation of over 100,000 people, which soon turned into a logistics nightmare for emergency and transportation personnel.
Volcano erupts on Indonesia’s Bali causing flight cancellations https://t.co/LG1XeMrblc pic.twitter.com/c7LKAZDyxY
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 25, 2019
Emergency authorities typically monitor the volcano’s crater looking to see if steam-based eruptions turn to magmatic eruptions, considered more serious, which would lead to evacuations.
via ZeroHedge News http://bit.ly/2W0bdXj Tyler Durden