The Lombok airport authorities have announced that the island'€™s international airport is likely to remain closed until Monday in the wake of the ongoing eruption of Mount Rinjani, according to flag carrier Garuda Indonesia.

'€œMt. Rinjani is sill spouting volcanic dust unpredictably; the clouds continue to hang directly above the island,'€ Garuda Indonesia vice president corporate communications Benny S. Butarbutar said on Sunday.

Garuda has temporarily postponed its services from and to Lombok International Airport in Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara province, until further notice from the airport authority, according to Benny.

Earlier, thousands of tourists were stranded on two islands after ash from the third-highest volcano in Indonesia forced the closure of three airports and blanketed villages and farmlands.

Airports in Bali and East Java were also forced to shut down after Mt. Rinjani erupted last week, though flight schedules in the two provinces have now returned to normal.

Mt. Rinjani is among about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. The archipelago is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia. (dan)

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