Flights to and from the Indonesian tourist island of Bali were significantly disrupted Wednesday after a powerful eruption from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki sent a towering ash plume into the sky.
The volcano, located on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted Tuesday, propelling ash up to 6.8 miles into the atmosphere, according to Indonesia’s volcanology agency. Authorities raised the alert level to its highest status and imposed a 5-mile exclusion zone around the crater.
At least 30 flights, including international routes operated by Singapore Airlines, Jetstar, Virgin Australia, AirAsia X, and Air India, were canceled or delayed, according to Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. An Air India flight en route to Bali was forced to return to Delhi mid-flight due to the eruption.
Jetstar and other carriers said they expect conditions to improve by Wednesday evening as the ash cloud disperses. However, officials warned that volcanic activity remains unpredictable and could cause further disruptions.
The eruption marks the latest in a string of volcanic events across the archipelago, which sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is home to more than 120 active volcanoes.