The latest Bali, Lombok and Gili Islands travel advice

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s central island of Sumbawa early on Tuesday 22 January.

There are no reports of casualties or damage, and no tsunami warning has been issued.

The quake hit 143 miles south of the town of Raba, and followed shortly after a magnitude 6 tremor in the same area.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not issued a warning against travelling to Bali, and most of Indonesia is still safe to visit.

It does advise against travelling to within four kilometres of the Mount Agung crater in east Bali, due to ongoing volcanic activity.

Check before you travel

Most insurers will not cover travellers who go to destinations the Foreign Office advises against, but if caution is advised, then the picture is mixed. Don’t book a trip until you speak to your tour operator, airline and travel insurance provider.

Because earthquakes are natural disasters, many insurance policies exclude these from coverage, so those affected might not be able to recover costs. However, people who booked a package holiday with ATOL protection should receive assistance to get back home.

Sumatra

The FCO advises against all travel within  seven kilometres of the Mount Sinabung crater in Kalo Regency, North Sumatra. There are exclusion zones put in place by the local authorities due to ongoing volcanic activity.

Sulawesi

The FCO advises against all but essential travel to the city of Palu and the districts of Donggala, Mamuju Utara, Sigi and Parigi Moutong in Central Sulawesi, following a 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami on 28 September 2018.

If you have essential travel to those areas, the FCO advises planning your journey very carefully, having robust contingency plans in place and checking with your travel insurance provider.

More advice on staying safe is available from the International Rescue Corps.

Indonesia sits on the ‘Ring of Fire’

Indonesia is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because it sits along the ‘Ring of Fire’ in the Pacific – a volatile seismic strip. It has over 100 active volcanoes, which can erupt with little or no warning.

If you’re travelling to areas prone to volcanic activity, the FCO advises taking extra care, checking media reports before and monitoring local media while you’re there. You should follow the advice of local authorities,  and respect any exclusion zones or evacuation orders.

If a major earthquake or landslide occurs close to shore, a tsunami could arrive within minutes. You should follow the advice of local authorities and check the Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning Centre.

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.

Finally, don’t panic: over 350,000 Brits travel to Indonesia every year and few encounter problems.

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