New Mount Agung eruption closes airports in Java
Bali’s Agung volcano again began spewing lava and ash 2,000 metres into the air, prompting closures of two airports in neighbouring East Java.
Banyuwangi and Jember airports closed to air traffic as winds spread the ash cloud toward the west.
"Winds are carrying the volcanic ash west, so the two airports are impacted," said Yohanes Sirait, from the Indonesian air traffic controller AirNav.
Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport however remains open for the time being.
Lava flows descending down its slopes for two kilometres, sparking a forest fire.
The latest activity was preceded by a large explosion which sent local villagers fleeing in panic.
The Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency said it was the largest single eruption since the volcano came back to life late last year and has seen intermittent eruptions ever since.
Bali’s airport was closed for a day before the weekend disrupting thousands of passengers.
"Until now, Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali is operating normally," Sirait said.
Volcanologists still believe a major eruption like the one which devastated the area and killed more than 1,000 people in 1963 is remote.
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