Indonesian Volcano Erupts, Bali Flights Cancelled Again

A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted on Monday, sending a massive ash plume 18 km into the sky and forcing the cancellation of several international flights between Australia and Bali, authorities said.

Two Bali-bound Jetstar flights scheduled to take-off on Monday have both been cancelled. The Perth Airport website states JQ106 due to take-off at 4:20pm AWST and JQ116 due to depart at 4:40pm are no longer in operation. Qantas passengers can expect long delays with flights QF43 from Sydney and QF45 from Melbourne to Denpasar, Bali, both due to depart at 4:20 pm AEST on Monday, delayed until at least 8 pm AEST.

'Some Virgin Australia Bali services have been cancelled following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi earlier today,' a Virgin Australia spokesperson told the ABC.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584-metre-high volcano on the tourist island of Flores, erupted at 11:05 am local time (0305 GMT), the volcanology agency said in a statement. 'An eruption of Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano occurred... with the observed ash column height reaching approximately 18,000 m above the summit,' the agency said.

It warned of the possibility of hazardous lahar floods –- a type of mud or debris flow of volcanic materials –- if heavy rain occurs, particularly for communities near rivers. There were no immediate reports of damages or casualties.

Geology agency head Muhammad Wafid said in a statement the activity level at the volcano was 'very high, marked by explosive eruptions and continuous tremors'.

Last month dozens of flights to and from Bali were cancelled after the volcano erupted. Volcanic ash rained down on several communities around the volcano and forced the evacuation of at least one village.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted multiple times in November, killing nine people and forcing thousands to evacuate, as well as the cancellation of scores of international flights to Bali.

Laki-Laki, which means man in Indonesian, is twinned with the calmer but taller 1,703-metre (5,587-foot) volcano named Perempuan, after the Indonesian word for woman.

According to the source: The Economic Times.