Bali’s ‘highly intense’ volcano erupts again, spewing ash 2.5km into the sky

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Mount Agung (seen in December; photo from latest eruption below) belched ash into the air on Thursday. It has been intermittently erupting since November. Photo: AP

Published: 12:30am, 12 Jan 2018Updated: 12:52pm, 29 Nov 2018

Bali’s Mount Agung erupted again on Thursday, sending thick ash and smoke up to 2.5km (1.5 miles) into the sky, according to Indonesian authorities.

The danger zone around the volcano remains at a radius of 6km (3.7 miles) from the crater, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency. The zone was reduced from a radius of 10km (6.2 miles) last week.

Nugroho said the volcano still shows a high intensity of volcanic activity, despite the shrinkage of the danger zone.

Indonesia’s Mount Agung on Bali island spews ash into the air on Thursday. While the volcano appeared to be belching less ash and smoke, experts warned a major eruption could still happen at any moment. Agung has already experienced a series of mini eruptions. Photo: AFP/National Disaster Mitigation Agency

More than 50,000 people from 12 villages included in the danger zone are still staying at 233 refugee shelters, he said.

Nugroho also said that the ash only affected several areas to the north and northeast of the volcano, and did not interfere with the operation of the island’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai international airport.

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