10,000 flee as Bali volcano rumbles

10,000 flee as Bali volcano rumbles

Mount Agung, an active volcano that has been placed on alert level 3 following recent seismic activity, is seen from Mataram on Lombok, the island jus east of Bali. (Reuters Photo)
Mount Agung, an active volcano that has been placed on alert level 3 following recent seismic activity, is seen from Mataram on Lombok, the island jus east of Bali. (Reuters Photo)

JAKARTA: Nearly 10,000 people have left their homes around Mount Agung on Bali because of the possibility of a volcanic eruption, officials said on Friday.

Officials raised the alert status of the volcano on Monday to the second highest level following an increase in seismic activity. It recommended that people stay at least six kilometres from the crater, and up to 7.5km away to the north, southeast and south-southwest.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said that 9,400 people had left their houses and were scattered across the districts of Karangasem, Klungkung and Buleleng.

They are living in temporary shelters, sports centres, village halls and with relatives, said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

The 3,031-metre Agung last erupted in 1963, killing 1,100 people and hurling ash as high as 10km.

The mountain, located 72km northeast of the tourist hotspot of Kuta, is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia.

More than 7,000 of the evacuees are in the 840-square-kilometre district surrounding the volcano, Karangasem, which is home to 408,000 people.

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