Ni Komang Erviani, The Jakarta Post , Bali

Mount Agung in Karangasem regency, Bali, erupted on Friday, spewing up a column of ash 700 meters from the crater.

The volcano’s observatory post reported that the eruption was recorded at 4:31 p.m.

After the first eruption, a smaller eruption occurred at 5:01 p.m. with the volcano spewing up a column of ash 300 meters high.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) maintained the volcano’s alert status at level three of the four-tiered alert system. The danger zone similarly remains within a 4-kilometer radius from the crater. The PVMBG also issued a code orange volcano observatory notice for aviation (VONA).

“Mount Agung erupting is considered normal given that there has been an increase in volcanic activity in the last few days, ” a senior official of the center, Devy Kamil Syahbana, told The Jakarta Post.

Devy added that the volcano might erupt again at a small scale.

The center also advised residents and tourists to steer clear of the danger zone. A ban on trekking Mt. Agung has been in place since 2017. (swd)

This story has been published at The Jakarta Post , Feb 22, 2019