25 May 2019

Flights cancelled as Bali's volcano erupts again

8:57 pm on 25 May 2019

Bali's airport has cancelled flights following an eruption of the Mount Agung volcano that spread ash over the south of the Indonesian island.

Mount Agung erupts.

Mt Agung erupting in 2017, after being inactive for more than 50 years. Photo: AFP

The national disaster agency said Friday night's eruption lasted four minutes and 30 seconds and spread lava and incandescent rocks about 3km from the crater.

Nine villages experienced thick ash fall. But the agency said it wasn't raising the alert level for the volcano and its exclusion zone remains a 4km radius around the crater.

Aviation officials said four flights to Bali were diverted and five flights out of the popular tourist destination were cancelled because of volcanic ash.

Agung became active again in 2017 after more than a half century of slumber following a major eruption in 1963.

Last year, eruptions played havoc with flights, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of people.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs