Nearly 30 Vietnamese people leave Bali safely

Smoke and dust  from Agung volcano (Photo: xinhua/VNA)

Some others are waiting for airlines they have bought tickets from to provide transfer, or to re-book flights when Ngurah Rai airport is operational again.

A source from the Bali Hotel Association said that on average, 800-1,200 Vietnamese tourists visit Bali every month.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Giang, who is in charge of consular affairs of the Vietnamese Embassy, when Agung Volcano began erupting, there would have been around 100 Vietnamese people in Bali.

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hai, a Vietnamese person living in Bali for seven years, said that the overseas Vietnamese community in the island having connection with each other has only 12 people, and they and their families are now in safety. None of them lives in the 12km radius zone dangerously affected by the eruption of the volcano, and they don’t have to evacuate.

Ms. Hai's family live 77km from the volcano, so they are only affected by dust and ash. However, the concern of her family and Vietnamese people there is the increased risk of earthquake occurring along with strong volcanic activity.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Centre of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has lowered the Agung Volcano alert from red to orange after the volcanic eruption of Agung reduced.

Director of PVMBG Kasbani said that column of dust and ash erupting from the volcano has reduced its height from 4,000m to 2,000m.

However, the wind is blowing southwest, and smoke and dust still affect the safety of flights, so Ngurah Rai airport is still closed to wait for new developments./.