Thousands in Bali flee from Mount Agung

The volcano’s alert status was raised to the highest level after a huge increase in seismic activity

Thousands of villagers on the Indonesian resort island of Bali were sheltering yesterday in sports centres, village halls and with relatives, fearing Mount Agung will erupt for the first time in more than half a century.

Authorities raised the volcano’s alert status to the highest level Friday following a “tremendous increase” in seismic activity. It last erupted in 1963, killing 1,100 people.

Villager Made Suda said he left overnight with 25 family members to stay in the Klungkung sports centre. “I feel grief and fear, feel sad about leaving the village and leaving four cows because it’s empty. Everyone has evacuated,” he said yesterday.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said no one should be within 9km of the crater and within 12km to the north, northeast, southeast and south-southwest where lava flows or rapidly moving white-hot ash clouds from an eruption could reach.

Waskita Sutadewa, spokesman for the disaster mitigation agency in Karangasem district around Mount Agung, has said nearly 11,300 villagers have been officially evacuated.

He said the real number of displaced might be two or three times that, since many have voluntarily fled their homes.

Officials have said there is no current danger to people in other parts of Bali, a popular tourist island famous for its surfing, beaches and elegant Hindu culture.

In 1963, the 3,031m Agung hurled ash as high as 10km and remained active for about a year.

AP Villagers who were evacuated from their homes on the slope of Mount Agung arrive at a temporary shelter in Klungkung, Bali. More than 11,000 have left their homes around the mountain.