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Thousands of tourists were stranded on Friday as Bali closed its international airport following a volcanic eruption on the Indonesian island that fired a thick plume of ash and smoked thousands of meters in the sky. The closure of Ngurah Rai airport has caused the cancellation of nearly 450 flights to and from the tropical paradise. Mount Agung fired a tower of smoke and ash about 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) into the sky on Thursday night.
Mount Agung erupted periodically since he came back to life last year. His last big eruption in 1963 killed about 1,600 people.
Reuters
Pbadengers wait at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Indonesia, as airlines cancel flights. Indonesia is the world's most active volcanic region and lies on the Pacific's "fire belt", where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activity.
(AP)
The airport was closed early Friday after a pilot flying above detected traces of volcanic ash as high as 23,000 feet. Ash is dangerous for airplanes because it makes the tracks slippery and can be sucked into their engines.
Bali's main international gateway will be closed until Friday night, officials said, adding that two other national airports were also closed. The new activity threatens to create chaos for travel after an eruption in Agung in November has blocked thousands of people and hit Bali's lucrative tourism industry and the economy in the broadest sense .
A local guide and foreign tourists take photos of erupting Mount Agung volcano.
Reuters
Despite the eruption, the status of Agung remained alert, the second highest danger warning. There is a four kilometer ban area around Agung Peak.
Tens of thousands of residents fled to evacuation centers after the eruption of last year. The volcano is about 75 kilometers from the tourist center of Bali in Kuta.
Reuters
Australian visitor Rod Bird arrived early at the airport to be told that his flight back to Perth had been canceled for the second time. An earlier flight on AirAsia was canceled before the airport was closed early Friday morning.
"They told us that the volcano was leaving so they booked us for this morning and we got here at 5:00 just to be diverted again." So we had two canceled flights, "said Bird at the same time. AFP
"Well, that's Bali, these things are happening and we agree. We just miss the kids, "he added.
Some 446 domestic and international flights were canceled after the volcano roared and it came to life, affecting about 75,000 pbadengers. were stranded at the airport or hotels on Friday, but it was not immediately clear how many tourists were unable to leave the island.
(AP)
The Bali governor called for calm, and said that activity at the crater has dropped considerably since Thursday night. "We will do our best to find a solution so that all visitors can continue their journey," said Governor Made Mangku Pastika
.
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