Indonesia extends closure of airports over volcanic ash
Jakarta (dpa) - Indonesian authorities on Thursday extended the closure of airports on the resort islands of Bali and Lombok because of ash from a volcanic eruption, an official said.
Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport and Lombok International Aiport were closed until at least Friday as the threat of ash from rumbling Mount Rinjani on Lombok continued, said Transport Ministry spokesman Julius Barata.
Flights to and from Ngurah Rai have been cancelled since Tuesday while Lombok International Airport was closed Wednesday evening.
A small airport in Banyuwangi on Java island and another on Lombok were also closed.
More than 700 domestic and international flights had been cancelled since Tuesday, according to the state-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura.
Bali airport was closed several times in August because of the eruption of Mount Raung on Java. Mount Rinjani has been spewing ash since on Sunday, but authorities said the volcano's alert level remained one notch above normal.
Baliairport was closed in August because of the eruption of Mount Raung on Java island. Residents have been warned to stay out of a 3-kilometre exclusion zone.
