Australians in and travelling to Bali are being warned to keep clear of the area surrounding Mount Agung, an active volcano located around 72 kilometers from Kuta.
According to the Associated Press, Indonesian officials have doubled the ‘no-go’ zone around the mountain and raised the alert level for the second time in less than a week.
Australia’s Smart Traveller Facebook page also posted a status warning Australians to stay away from the area yesterday.
The post said, “Indonesia: high level of volcanic activity at Mount Agung in Bali. Aussies should monitor local media & follow instructions of local authorities. Local authorities advise against outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping, in the caldera areas of the mountain.”
On Monday, the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency encouraged locals and tourists to remain at least 6kms away from Agung’s crater, and up to 7.5kms away to the north, southeast and south-southwest.
The warnings couldn’t come at a worse time for the Indonesian tourism industry, with Australian school holidays just around the corner.
Agung last erupted in 1963, killing 1100 people and spewing ash as high as 10km.
The warnings also come days after Indonesia was revealed as Australians’ top pick of international destinations.
According to travel data from Euromonitor International, the country has overtaken the US and New Zealand to be the most popular outbound destination for Australian travellers in 2017 – and is expected to stay on top for the next five years.
