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Bali volcano is erupting amid warnings of an 'imminent' larger eruption

Thick clouds of black ash rain down on villages on Mount Agung's slopes

Dangerous flows of cold lava have poured out of the volcano

Volcano alert level raised to 4 – the highest possible warning

State of emergency in Bali extended until at least December 10

Flights begin to resume from Denpasar Airport, but staff face a 90,000 passenger backlog



Up to 100,000 people urged to promptly evacuate – only 43,000 have heeded the call

Thick plumes of gas and steam seen pouring out of Mount Agung this morning Here are the latest updates from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Magma Indonesia, the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency (PVMBG) and other official sources. (All times GMT)

This live story has now closed. Click here for the latest Mount Agung news: BALI VOLCANO UPDATE LIVE 7.48am: UK Government updates Bali travel advice The British Government has urged nationals in Bali to heed the advice of authorities and stay out of Mount Agung’s danger zone. “The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to within 10 kilometres of Mount Agung in East Bali due to ongoing volcanic activity,” the Government’s travel advice page said. “This area is mostly covered by an existing exclusion zone put into place by the local authorities, which extends between 8 and 10kms from the crater. If you’re in this area, you should leave immediately.” “Volcanic activity may increase in the coming days,” the warning added. “During previous eruptions, areas beyond 10km have also been affected by mud/debris flows (particularly in valleys) and volcanic ash falls. “If you’re in Bali, you should therefore exercise caution and continue to follow the advice of the local authorities, monitor local media and keep up-to-date with our travel advice.” 7.09am: Bali volcano eruption ‘not over’ Mount Agung was seen emitting gas and steam this morning rather than dark plumes of volcanic ash, but Volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner has warned that this does not mean the volcano’s eruptive period has ended. Tweeting a photo of the volcano, she said: “No, this does not mean it is over. Fluctuations in activity are a normal part of the life of volcanoes.” Dr Krippner later reported that the plume was thickening. 7am: Joe Tambini takes over live reporting.

Bali volcano chaos: Cold lava flows on the river Yeh Sah Wed, December 6, 2017 Tens of thousands have already fled their homes around the volcano which last erupted in 1963, killing around 1,600 people but as many as 100,000 will likely be forced to leave in case of a full eruption Play slideshow Solo Imaji / Barcroft Images 1 of 30 Cold lava from Mount Agung erruption is flows on the river Yeh Sah

5.30am: The island’s state of emergency will continue to mid-December. Bali governor I Made Mangku Pastika has extended a state of emergency on the island until at least December 10 as it braces for what could be a huge eruption of Mt Agung volcano in the days ahead. Lombok international airport – on Bali’s neighbouring island – has also been forced to close, according to Indonesia’s ministry of tourism. The ministry’s Wonderful Indonesia Twitter account tweeted: “Today (Nov 30) Lombok Praya International Airport is closed starting at 10.37 am until (Dec 1) 12 am local time due to volcanic ash.” 1.23am: Bali airport reopens but tourists face huge backlog. One passenger, Keira Nolan, said she had been told the first available Jetstar flight to Perth was not until December 7. Ms Nolan said: ”We're going to try and go to another airport — we're going to catch a bus and a ferry and another bus for 12 hours or something like that — hopefully it's a straight direct flight not a 12-hour flight." The volcano continues to erupt and despite warnings from authorities to evacuate, many residents have refused to move. Jetstar Airways in a statement said: “Flying conditions around Denpasar Airport are predicted to remain clear today so Jetstar and Qantas plan to operate 10 scheduled and 6 relief flights from Bali to Australia. “This will see a total of 3,800 people returned to Australia today. “Customers who have been booked on to these flights have been contacted directly. “Volcanic activity and ash cloud are unpredictable so flights may be cancelled at short notice.

REUTERS Passesngers at Bali's Denpasar Airport are facing long delays due to the ash cloud from Mount Agung

Wednesday November 29 11.30pm: Thomas Hunt takes over live reporting. 10.45pm: Expert warns Agung activity “can get much worse” Volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner has warned locals “won’t be able to outrun” lava spewing from the summit of Bali’s largest volcano. Speaking to news.com.au, she likened the activity inside the stratovolcano to “shaking up a bottle of Coke and then taking the lid off.” She said: “This is an eruption, this is 100 per cent an eruption. “Lava is coming out of the volcano, there’s definitely enough to cause trouble. This can get much worse, you can’t outrun this.” 8.55pm: Passengers face delays of up to a WEEK Passengers are facing huge delays as Bali’s main airport begins to work through a massive backlog of stranded tourists. Regional airlines including Air Asia and Wings Air were the first to resume flights when the facility reopened this morning. But passengers trying to get home to Australia are reportedly facing delays of up to a week. ABC News Australia has reported one tourist as saying the first available Jetstar flight home to Perth will not depart until December 7.

Magma Indonesia Bali volcano eruption update: Seismic activity soars as danger of eruption rises

7.05pm: Bali volcano could ‘reverse global warming’ claims Nasa Mount Agung’s violent eruption could plunge Earth into a long spell of doc temperatures, accordant to Nasa climate scientist Chris Colose. Mr Colose said: “To have a notable climate impact, there needs to be an explosive enough eruption (to get material in the stratosphere) and a sulphur-rich eruption (the SO2 converts to sulphate aerosol, which is what radiatively matters). “If these conditions are met, the eruption cools the surface/troposphere and warms the stratosphere, the opposite of both patterns associated with CO2 increases. But both are very short-lived (~years).” “For volcanoes to do anything to climate you need a lot of SO2 released and a high enough plume for that SO2 to get into the stratosphere.” READ THE FULL STORY HERE: BALI VOLCANO COULD REVERSE GLOBAL WARMING 6pm: Spike in seismic activity amid fears of violent eruption The latest seismogram, from Magma Indonesia, reveals a spike in seismic activity today. WATCH: BALI VOLCANO LIVE SEISMOGRAM 3.35pm: 3.1 magnitude earthquake rocks Bali A 3.1 magnitude earthquake has been felt in near Bali volcano Karangasem, according to BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, who asked people to evacuate.

EPA Bali volcano eruption update: Ash covers people's feet

3.30pm: Volcanic tremors and earthquakes felt The latest Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) said an orange warning was in place for airlines. The notice said that the ash cloud was stretching around 16,454ft (5,142m) above sea level and moving southeast. It added: “Seismic activity is characterized by volcanotectonic earthquakes and volcanic tremor.” 3.20pm: Bali volcano ash covers everything from plants to human feet The latest photographs from Bali show that ash has covered human feet and plants as well as buildings and shrines.

EPA Bali volcano eruption: Ash covers plants in Bali

2.45pm: 43,000 of up to 100,000 people evacuated BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said about 43,000 people had heeded advice to take shelter. But more people need to evacuate because an estimated 90,000 to 100,000 people live in the danger zone. According to the latest BNBP figures, as many as 43,358 evacuees are spread over 229 points of refuge in Bali. This is the breakdown: Buleleng (5,992 jiwa), Klungkung (7,790), Karangasem (22,738), Bangli (864), Tabanan (657), Kota Denpasar (1,488), Gianyar (2,968), Badung (549), dan Jembrana (312).

Getty Bali volcano eruption update: More than 43,000 people are staying at points of refuge

2.40pm: Mount Agung may could 'local devastation' Professor David Rothery, from the Open University, stressed that Agung had a magma chamber too small to trigger a super-eruption. "While it may cause local devastation there is no cause for global alarm," he said. 1.59pm: Cathay Pacific is able to resume some flights The Hong Kong based airliner said it is able to resume some of its operations in and out of Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar. The airline tweeted: “The situation revolving around the Mount Agung eruptions is improving and we are able to resume a number of our flights along this route. “We'd still like to encourage the postponement or cancellation of non-essential travel to #Bali.” The airliner said in a statement: “Flight operations are being assessed for possible resumption of Cathay Pacific flights on Thursday, 30 November. “Cathay Dragon flights on Thursday, 30 November are confirmed cancelled.”

- Bali volcano eruption update: Mount Agung seen from space

11.50am: Mount Agung ash cloud seen from space Simon Proud, researcher at the Oxford University’s Department of Physics shared an image of Mount Agung from space. He tweeted: “A #Sentinel3 image of #Agung in Indonesia. Look in the middle of the picture, see that brown cloud? That's ash from Agung's ongoing eruption.”

EPA Bali volcano eruption: An elderly woman is rescued from the danger zone

11.40am: Evacuations continue to save people from eruption An Indonesian rescue team have been pictured evacuating an elderly woman from a dangerous area near Mount Agung volcano. 11am: Rivers filled with volcanic ash from volcano. New images from Bali today show people looking at an overflowing river filled with volcanic ash.

EPA Bali volcano eruption update: People look at an overflowing river filled with volcanic ash

10am: Another flight seen taking off Neela Debnath, who is on holiday in Bali, said: "We just saw another plane take off." BALI VOLCANO FLIGHTS UPDATE 9.39am: First flights take off from Bali's main airport Tourist Neela Debnath said there has been no word yet on whether her Emirates flight tomorrow has been cancelled or not. She said: “We've just seen an aeroplane taking off from the airport. It looks like one of the first of the day. “I’ve been informed by a member of the hotel staff that it's a domestic flight rather than international. “He has said that they are doing domestic flights but doesn't think they're risking international at the moment.” The Indonesia AirAsia flight to Jakarta has left Ngurah Rai International Airport (Denpasar), according to the airport’s website.

VAAC Bali volcano eruption: Latest ash cloud map

9am: Map shows ash cloud has changed direction The latest Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) map for Mount Agung shows volcanic ash has changed direction. 8am: President calls for residents evacuate President Joko Widodo implored residents living in a zone around Agung deemed at risk to seek refuge in emergency centres. 7.40am: Volcanic ash moves south-southeast BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said: “Volcanic ash spreading of Mount Agung leads to south-southeast. VONA is lowered from RED to ORANGE.”

AFP Getty Bali volcano eruption: Picture taken today from Kubu in the Karangasem Regency

7.30am: Plume of ash and smoke hovers above volcano A large plume of white and grey ash and smoke hovered above Agung on Wednesday, after night-time rain partially obscured a fiery glow at its peak over the last few days. 7am: Flights begin to resume Singapore Airlines said it would resume flights between Singapore and Bali on Wednesday. Australia's Qantas Airways said it and budget arm Jetstar would run 16 flights to Australia on Thursday to ferry home 3,800 stranded customers.

6.28am: Bali international airport reopens Bali airport reopened at 2.28pm local time (6.28am GMT), authorities said, two days after a volcanic ash forced the airport to close. "Bali's international airport started operating normally," air traffic control provider AirNav said in a statement. 4.42am: Cylone pulls volcanic ash across island Hazardous ash erupting from Bali’s Mount Agung volcano has been pulled across the island by a tropical cyclone near Java, Indonesian officials have warned. Massive winds from cyclone Cempaka, which has been churning off the southern coast of Java, have begun blowing the ash towards Bali’s popular beaches. 3.32am: Warning downgraded. The code red warning for air travel was downgraded to orange - the second highest level. 1.12am: Bali’s international airport still closed. At least 120,000 visitors have been left stranded as Mount Agung continues to erupt huge clouds of ash and cold lava, closing Bali’s Ngurah Rai international airport and grounding flights. Airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said: “Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Thursday morning.” Airlines flying between Australia and Bali also announced flights have been cancelled – volcanic ash can cripple jet engines. Virgin Australia tweeted: “Due to the significant volcanic ash and current weather conditions, Denpasar Airport is currently closed. As a result, we have cancelled all flights between Bali and Australia today and Thursday 30 November.”

AFP/GETTY Bali volcano: An expert has warned that Mount Agung could be 'particularly' explosive

Tuesday November 28 11.30pm: Thomas Hunt takes over live reporting. 7.33pm: Flight cancellations continue to plague Bali’s travellers Intentional and local airliners have suspended, cancelled or otherwise delayed all flights to and from Bali. At least 2,000 passengers stranded at Denpasar International Airport have attempted to get back a refund or change tickets. Flight cancellations have also struck passengers flying with KLM, Qayatr Airways, Emirates, AirAsia, Lion Air, Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Citilink, Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin flights. 5.49pm: Mount Agung could be ‘particularly explosive’ Volcanologist Jacqueline Salzer warned that the erupting Mount Agung could be very deadly if it releases pyroclastic flows.. Speaking to DW, she said: “If the magma's highly viscous, the volcano can be particularly explosive. “The reason is that gases are caught inside the magma, under pressure. She added: “It's an unbelievably fast event: The pyroclastic streams reach speeds of several hundred kilometers per hour. “Nobody can escape them. You have to be far enough away from the volcano – and early enough – to be safe.”

NOAA Bali volcano: Toxic sulphur dioxide emissions have been leaking from Mount Agung's crater

5.33pm: Raging tropical cyclone is shifting Mount Agung’s ash cloud Indonesian officials said that cyclone Cempaka, located hundreds of miles west of Bali, has begun to affect Agung’s ash emissions. The churning cyclone is pulling in the dangerous ash cloud, out towards the open Indian Ocean. On top of the erupting volcano, cyclone Cempaka threatens to slam into the Indonesian islands. Cempaka is expected bring in heavy rain, devastating waves and strong winds up to 30 knots per hour for three to four days. 5.18pm: Toxic sulphur dioxide emissions threaten safety of locals and flights High concentrations leaking out of the erupting Mount Agung pose a threat to flights and local residents, an expert has warned. Dr Helen Thomas, a senior research associate at Bristol University’s School of Earth Sciences, warned of the risks it poses to the island. She told Express.co.uk: “Exposure to sulphur dioxide will most likely exacerbate existing conditions such as breathing problems like asthma. “In very high concentrations it can be more dangerous, but the two Dobson units around Mount Agung are not the highest ever.” She added: “There is a risk it could be hazardous to aircraft, but those effects are not as well known yet.” READ THE FULL STORY HERE: BALI VOLCANO SPEWS TOXIC SO2

AFP/GETTY Bali volcano: Experts still cannot pinpoint when exactly Mount Agung will erupt

4.48pm: Mount Agung could explode ‘in hours’ warns volcanologist Mount Agung could be on the brink of violently exploding Indonesian volcanologist Gede Suantika has warned, according to The Herald Sun. A massive 30-minute tremor deep inside Agung’s crater could be sign of lava trying to breach to the surface, He said: “It means there is a quite big amount of volcanic material that will come out. “There are two possibilities of how it will come out. First, the magma will fill the crater and flow out or it will come out as an explosion. “Now the magma flow is continuous. I am just scare that this will happen soon and come out at once in a big explosion.” He added: “Soon — I cannot be sure. But maybe in hours, not days, because it’s already erupting. We are just waiting for the big one.” 4.16pm: Mount Agung’s odds of eruption are 50/50 claims expert David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences told The Independent that Mont Agung’s eruption is still a coin toss away. He said: “It could stay like this and fizzle out, or it could be ramping up for something big.” Dr Matt Watson from the University of Bristol added: “The truth is it could peter out tomorrow. I don't think that's particularly likely, but it's not impossible. "The reason people are worried about a large eruption is because the last time it erupted it went large. It was a big enough eruption to influence global temperatures."

Getty Bali volcano eruption update: Mount Agung pictured on Tuesday

3.49pm: ‘Bigger eruption is coming’ warns expert Professor Peter Sammonds, of UCL, warned that all of the signs coming from mount Agung, suggest that a bigger eruption is on its way. He told Sky news: “The indications are that this eruption has been building through the phases of, first of all, seismicity, small earthquakes, then ash, then some lava and this indicates that this will build into something of a major nature.” 2.45pm: Terrifying satellite imagery shows sulphur dioxide spread over Bali High concentrations of toxic sulphur dioxide have been leaking from Mount Agung’s crater and into the atmosphere, Nasa’s Aura satellite revealed. The NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service tweeted: “Data from @NASA Aura satellite shows high SO2 concentrations from Mount #Agung yesterday in #Bali, #Indonesia. “People on the ground witnessing the #volcano emitting thick ash clouds and glowing lava.” The volcanic compouds has mostly spread to the north and south away from Bali, but individual SO2 clouds have reached the island of Java. 2.45pm: Sebastian Kettley takes over live reporting.

Reuters Bali volcano eruption update: Man prays in the shadow of Mount Agung

1.20pm: Lava flows could create 'hot avalanche' Volcanologist Mike Burton said: "There are multiple hazards and one of them is actually lava flows. "The next thing we might expect to happen is to actually have lava coming out and then, because it’s very steep – it’s a 3000m high volcano only 10km away from the coast – so there’s a very sharp gradient of it that means when the lava flow comes down it breaks down and can fall down. "That creates a hot avalanche which causes a flow that can be very dangerous and go far out." 12.25pm: Explosions throw out molten rock and ash David Pyle, a volcano expert at the University of Oxford, said: "It remains possible that the eruptive crisis could continue for some time." He added: "What we are seeing at the moment are small explosions, throwing out hot gases and fragments of molten rock, or ash." 12.05pm: Larger eruption may be "imminent" The latest BNPB statement said: “Continuing plumes of smoke are occasionally accompanied by explosive eruptions and the sound of weak blasts that can be heard up to 12 km (seven miles) from the peak. “Rays of fire are increasingly visible from night to the following day. This indicates the potential for a larger eruption is imminent.”

11.40am: New images shows Bali volcano spewing ash cloud The latest images show the volcano spewing a massive ash cloud as people carry on with their daily lives today. WATCH: BALI VOLCANO WEBCAM One man was seen praying at the foothills of the volcano, while tourists took photographs of the eruption from afar. BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that people outside the danger zone of the volcano were continuing with their daily lives. He tweeted: "We contemplate the blessings for the people around the mountain. Agricultural land into lush, sand mining, and more. They live harmoniously with Mount Agung."

VAAC Bali volcano eruption update: Latest map shows ash cloud moving south west

10.40am: People still in danger zone ordered to evacuate BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted: “People who are still within a dangerous radius of 8-10 km are advised to evacuate in an orderly manner to a safe place.” 10.37am: 'The eruption IS occurring now' Volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner tweeted: “Can I just point out something... So many people are saying that an eruption at #Agung is imminent... “It is erupting now and has been for > 2 days! This IS an eruption, the eruption IS occurring now. There is a risk of a larger eruption, but this IS an erupting volcano.”

10.20am: Map shows ash cloud blowing south west of volcano The latest Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) map for Mount Agung shows volcanic ash is travelling south west of volcano. VAAC said that emission was continuing at a constant rate and volcanic ash was partially identifiable on satellite imagery. 10.15am: Seismic activity SOARs amid fears of eruption Magma Indonesia said that from 1.30pm local time there was large spike in seismic activity. It added that the danger of eruption is high because the “magma path to the surface” is already open. VOLCANO MAPPED: RING OF FIRE MAP

10.05am: Frustration starts to boil over at airport Frustration at the country's second-busiest airport is starting to boil over, with an estimated 2,000 people attempting to get refunds and reschedule tickets. "There are thousands of people stranded here at the airport," said Nitin Sheth, a tourist from India. "They have to go to some other airport and they are trying to do that, but the government or authorities here are not helping."

10am: Airport closure continues - thousands stranded Indonesia on Tuesday extended the closure of the airport on Bali as ash from a volcano swept the island, stranding thousands of tourists. "Aircraft flight channels are covered with volcanic ash," the transport ministry said in a statement, citing aviation navigation authorities. Bali's airport, about 60 km (37 miles) from the Mount Agung volcano, will be closed until 7 a.m. on Wednesday (2300 GMT on Tuesday), it said. 9am: Alice Foster taking over live reporting

MAGMA INDONESIA Mount Agung: NASA satellites are picking up heat signature anomalies from the volcano's crater

3.12am: Magma rises below surface of volcano The volcano has been spewing thick clouds of black ash and the Indonesia government has extended the closure of Bali airport amid fears an eruption is “imminent”. MAGMA Indonesia tweeted: "Tonight, for the first time a thermal anomaly was detected in the crater of Mount Agung by Nasa Modis satellite, about 70 megawatts of power. "This indicates that a significant volume of magma had been on the surface." 1am: Indonesia extends Bali airport closure due to Agung eruption The country’s transport ministry said it will extend the closure of Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for a further 24 hours due to volcanic ash. A report from local aviation navigation authorities showed that “aircraft flight channels are covered with volcanic ash”, the ministry said in a statement.

GETTY•EPA Bali volcano eruption Mount agung news live update Indonesia status

Monday November 27 9.30pm: Volcano strong enough to 'power small city' Volcanologist Simon Carn said on Twitter the eruption is generating enough power to “power a small city”. 6pm: 'Significant volume of magma pools to surface' Heat signatures picked up by Nasa satellites are pointing towards vast amounts of magma pooling around Mount Agung's summit. MAGMA Indonesia tweeted: "Tonight, for the first time a thermal anomaly was detected in the crater of Mount Agung by Nasa Modis satellite, about 70 megawatts of power (source: mirovaweb.it). "This indicates that a significant volume of magma had been on the surface." The American satellite is an impressive piece of machinery, constantly scanning Earth's surface for cloud formations, changes in the carbon cycle and sources of heat. READ THE FULL STORY HERE: NASA SATELLITES PICK UP MAGMA IN AGUNG'S CRATER

5.30pm: Thousands refuse to leave Agung danger zone Despite the growing threat of imminent eruption, many locals refuse to abandon their homes and livestock to flee the volcano. At least 22 villages are currently caught in the expected blast zone which could affect some 90,000 to 100,000 people. So far only about 40,000 have evacuated from the exclusion zone. BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said: “They feel safe because the area was not damaged during the 1963 eruption. They will evacuate if it is dangerous.”

5.20pm: 59,000 travellers stranded on Bali as Agung erupts Tens of thousands of holidaymakers hoping to blissfully spend their time on the paradise island have instead found themselves in hell. More than 400 flights from Bali's international airport have been cancelled, stranded tourists trying to get back home. Airport spokesman Air Ahsanurrohim confirmed at least 59,000 travellers have been affected by the disruption. Mount Agung's eruption also took a hit on other airports across Indonesia, shutting down flights to the tourist hotspot.

GETTY Bali volcano: The towering stratovolcano is spewing vast amounts of volcanic ash into the sky

5pm: Agung's eruption death toll will be smaller than in 1963 Mount Agung's deadly eruption in 1963 consumed several villages and killed more than 1,100 people. But Professor Mike Burton, from the Volcanology department at the University of Manchester, believes that Agung will not reach a similar level of destruction this time. He said: “The probability of a large number deaths and injuries is much lower now than it was in 1963, as modern volcano monitoring techniques have improved. “There is much better awareness of the hazards posed by explosive eruptions and, most importantly, local populations are better informed, with clearer communication links. “Therefore, planning for a scenario similar to the 1963 eruption with pyroclastic flow run out up to 12 km from the summit is prudent, with a good probability that the actual eruption will be smaller than that.” 4.40pm: Bali’s Disaster Management Agency expects 'bigger' blast The BNBP has warned that Mount Agung could be headed for a more violent eruption in the coming days and weeks. Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said: “There is a high possibility of an eruption that would be bigger than before. He said: “A few signs indicate that activity will continue and that yesterday there were a few explosive eruptions.” The towering volcano reared its ugly head on last week when its spewed black ash on Saturday and erupted with pressurised hot steam on Tuesday.

GETTY Bali volcano: Cold Lava lahar flows are threatening areas beyond Agung's exclusion zone