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Don't be afraid to come to Bali: Minister
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Mount Agung as seen from Kubu subdistrict, Karangasem regency, Bali, on Nov. 22. The rumbling volcano spewed ash and clouds of smoke, raising fears it may have a major eruption for the first time in more than 50 years. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
D
espite increasing seismic activity at Mount Agung, a minister said tourists should not be afraid to visit Bali as the government has always been ready to give up-to-date information on the volcano’s status to minimize the impact in the event of a major eruption.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan said on Thursday that authorities were striving to monitor every development of Mt. Agung’s volcanic activities.
“The Bali administration and the National Disaster Management and Refugee Coordination Board [BNPB] will remain ready to give early warning if anything happens. So please stay calm. There is no need to worry too much,” Ignasius said as quoted by kompas.com in Jakarta.
Authorities have also prepared scenarios to anticipate risks that may arise from the volcano’s eruption, he further said.
“The eruption has long been anticipated. People need to remain calm and follow every instruction issued by the BNPB and the Bali administration, because they have made preparations long before the volcano erupted,” Ignasius said.
Mt. Agung erupted on Tuesday evening, forcing local residents to evacuate to temporary shelters. “The eruption was still small. Several flights had been rerouted but not too many,” said Ignasius.
Earlier, BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said a travel advisory issued by the Singaporean government, which called for its citizens to avoid parts of Bali following the eruption, was “excessive” because only areas within a radius of 7.5 kilometers from the crater were considered dangerous.
Jonan previously said electricity and fuel supplies in Bali were adequate despite the eruption. (saf/ebf)
