Is it safe to travel to Indonesia and Bali? Tangkuban Perahu erupts

A volcano has erupted near one of Indonesia’s biggest cities sending ash hundreds of metres into the air.

Emergency officials are warning people to stay away from the area around the Tangkuban Perahu volcano, which is a popular tourist attraction.

The volcano is just 30km (18 miles) from Bandung, the capital of West Java province and the country’s third largest city with a population of 2.4 million. It attracts large number or tourists, in part pulled by the beauty and danger of the volcanoes.

Broadcasters showed footage of cars and motorbikes driving away from Tangkuban Parahu on roads covered by ash.

Mount Tangkuban Perahu , a dormant volcano in Indonesia errupts.#Indonesian #volcano pic.twitter.com/xA1e9cd67d

— Rashmi Nair (@rashmi9nair) July 26, 2019

Reuters reported that the disaster mitigation agency said the tourism spot has been closed and the alert status of the volcano was being evaluated.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation) said ash reached 200 meters up from the peak of the mountain, which is about 2,284 m above sea level.

A volcano advisory warned: “Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Darwin warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 9000 ft (2700 m) altitude.”

What’s the advice to tourists?

Indonesian authorities are warning tourists to stay away.

They have also stopped tourists from spending the night in the Mount Tangkuban Parahu tourism complex.

So far the Foreign Office has not issued official guidance specific to the latest eruption but it does offer general safety advice.

The Indonesia travel advice warns: “There are are many active volcanoes in Indonesia, any of which can erupt with little or no warning.

“This often results in the evacuation of villages within a 3 to 7 kilometre radius and disruption to air travel in the wider region.

“In the past, repeated eruptions have caused destruction and fatalities. Check media reports before travelling to areas that are prone to volcanic activity.

The local alert level may change at short notice. Take extra care and follow the advice of local authorities, including respecting any exclusion zones.”

There are also specific warning for other Indonesian volcanoes – Mount Agung in east Bali and Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra.

How volcanic is Indonesia?

Indonesia is on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has scores of active volcanoes, sometimes posing a threat to life and disrupting air travel, particularly on the most heavily populated islands like Java and Bali.

Volcano Discovery says there are 147 volcanoes in Indonesia that have erupted in the last 10,000 years

The Tangkuban Perahu is a stratovolcano with steep slopes and a summit crater.

The Ring of Fire forms an arc from east Asia to western Americas and contains 452 volanoes – or about 75 per cent of the total.