Eruptions from two volcanoes in Indonesia have shut five airports during the busiest time of the year.
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Authorities ordered the closure of Juanda Airport near Surabaya due to increased activity from Mount Raung.
“But it’s conditional and there is the possibility that volcanic ash could halt air traffic again”, a spokeswoman for the airport operator was quoted by state news agency Antara.
Fears over airspace safety let to the closure of four small airports on Java, Indonesia’s most populous island, after fresh eruptions from Mt Raung, on the east of the island.
Sultan Babullah airport in Ternate, North Maluku was shut down this morning following the eruption of nearby Mount Gamalama.
Thousands of Indonesians are spending a miserable Eid after failing to make it home to see their families, after erupting volcanoes closed six airports, including in the country’s second biggest city.
Thousands of tourists were left stranded at the island’s Ngurah Rai airport as nearly 900 flights were cancelled or delayed. Gamalama mountain in eastern Indonesia erupted today (July 16) after months of quiet.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said flight disruptions could continue for sometime and advised travellers to contact their airline, tour operator and travel insurance provider for further information.
In recent days, people across the vast archipelago have taken to planes, boats and cars to head to their home towns and villages to celebrate Eid, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and falls on Friday.
Mount Raung on the main island of Java blasted ash and debris up to 2,000 metres into the air after rumbling for several weeks.
A 2010 eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano produced an ash cloud that cancelled 100,000 flights and caused worldwide aviation chaos.
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Experts say that ash does not only cloud visibility, but it also damages aircraft when it gets sucked in by the engines as molten glass.
