Indonesian authorities have lowered the alert status of Bali's Mount Agung volcano after scientists found a reduction in its activity.

More than 140,000 people have fled the area surrounding the mountain after authorities warned an eruption may be imminent in September.

However, the decision was taken on Saturday to downgrade Agung’s status after several scientific indicators showed a decrease in activity over the past month.

"People's activities as well as tourism in Bali has been declared safe and there will no more disruption related to the volcano at this time," Indonesian energy minister, Ignasius Jonan, said in a statement.

Indonesia’s volcano agency said smoke and tremors from the 3,031-metre-tall volcano, which indicate rising magma, have reduced significantly, but Agung remained on the second-highest alert level.

The agency said villagers living on the mountain’s slopes could return home, but warned them not to venture close to its crater, which was still emitting smoke.

The radius of the volcano's danger zone has also been reduced from 3.7 miles to 2.4 miles from its crater.

Indonesian officials first raised the eruption alert to its highest possible level five months ago, when seismic activity increased at the mountain.

The activity decreased by late October, and the alert was lowered before being lifted to the highest level again in late November, forcing more than 55,000 people out of their homes and into temporary shelters.

Tourists, who were stranded when the island's only airport closed for nearly three days, joined the rush to leave the area.

Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Show all 22 1 /22 Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A fisherman drives a traditional boat as Mount Agung erupts AFP/Getty Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Police evacuate a villager from inside the exclusion zone REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Villagers watch a river overflowing with water mixed with volcanic ash REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A flight information board shows cancelled flights at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A villager takes his cows to a field with Mount Agung volcano erupting in the background AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Police officers wear masks as they patrol in a village in Karangasem AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Clouds of ashes rise from the Mount Agung volcano AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Passengers talk to airline workers as their flights are cancelled AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A boy takes pictures during Mount Agung's eruption AFP/Getty Images Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano is seen spewing smoke and ash in Bali EMILIO KUZMA-FLOYD/via REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Balinese Hindus take part in a ceremony, where they pray near Mount Agung in hope of preventing a volcanic eruption AFP/Getty Images Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano erupts for a second time in less than a week REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Balinese Hindus take part in a ceremony AFP/Getty Images Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano is seen erupting from Glumpang village REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A Balinese farmer works as Mount Agung volcano spews volcanic ash EPA Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung during an eruption seen from Kubu sub-district in Karangasem Regency AFP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures A villager walks near a rice field following the eruption of Mount Agung AP Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano spews volcanic ash Rex Features Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures An officer with the disaster management agency BPBD places a mask on child at a shelter for residents sheltering from Mount Agung volcano Antara Foto/Nyoman Budhiana/ via REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung volcano erupts REUTERS Bali's Mount Agung volcano eruption: in pictures Mount Agung's eruption is seen between Balinese temple at Kubu AFP/Getty Images

Agung, located around 45 miles northeast of Bali's tourist hotspot of Kuta, last erupted in 1963, killing about 1,100 people.

It is one more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to eruptions and earthquakes due to its location on the "Ring of Fire", a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere to Japan and Southeast Asia.