Before you start to panic about a cancelled holiday or the safety of a family member on the island, here’s what to do – and what not to do – in the face of the Mount Agung eruption.
We’ve all seen the pictures of the most recent Mount Agung eruption being shared internet-wide, and we’ve all heard the saddening facts that when she blew over fifty years ago, more than 1000 people were tragically killed. But Mount Agung’s eruption on Monday evening (just after 9pm local time) has thankfully left no one injured or killed, and life for tourists on the island is continuing as normal.
So hold fire on redirecting your Bali holiday to a different destination: here are the dos and don’ts of what to do – and what not to do – in the face of Mount Agung’s eruption.
Do keep up-to-date with the current status of Mount Agung and Ngurah Rai International Airport from reputable sources. You can check the flight status of arrivals and departures here, whilst regular updates from local news can be found here.
Don’t automatically cancel your Bali holiday. The “danger zone” is far from Bali’s main tourist hubs (Seminyak, Ubud, Canggu and Uluwatu are over 70kms from the volcano) and the eruption has not caused any significant lava flow as of yet. You can view the potential affected areas should lava flow, here.
Do check with your airline and travel insurance company to see what is – and is not – covered should your flight be cancelled. Whilst many travel insurance companies won’t honour “Acts of God”, some will offer compensation, and airlines like KLM last time offered alternative travel plans and complimentary accommodation to those who were disrupted. Furthermore, if your Bali holiday was booked before Mount Agung warnings were issued, then you should be completely covered. You can find out more here.
Don’t believe fake news. Whilst the international media uses words like “chaos”, “danger” and “explosive”, the reality here on the island is quite the opposite. Of course, authorities are taking the necessary precautions to keep everyone in the surrounding areas safe (thousands of local Balinese within 10km of Mount Agung were evacuated during December’s last eruption) however, the tourist neighbourhoods are not affected. Tribun Bali is our trusted local news company that keeps things real – keep your eyes on their site for accurate information.
Do stay vigilant. Whilst the December’s eruption was relatively minor and Monday night’s eruption lasted only 10 minutes, a second eruption is of course a possibility, so we should always stay humble.
Don’t scribble Bali off of your travel bucket list. Despite what many media channels are suggesting, Bali is still safe and will remain that way once Mount Agung decides to slip into her peaceful slumber once again. The beautiful Balinese people are still laying out their offerings, the stunning beaches are still glistening, and the bars, cafes and beach clubs are still pumping. So, stay safe Honeys, and we’ll see you on the island soon!
Pssst! If you’d like to donate to help the evacuees of Mount Agung, we suggest the East Bali Poverty Project who deliver supplies to refugees. Go to www.eastbalipovertyproject.org for details.
