Europe's most active volcano Mount Etna erupts in Sicily

Tragedy for families in&nbsp;Guatemala&nbsp;as they bury their dead on Thursday (June 07) after this week's eruptions from the mighty Fuego volcano.

In the rural community of Alotenango locals have been hard hit. For many here, there was not enough time to evacuate after a blanket of hot ash and smoke covered large parts of the region.

The&nbsp;toll&nbsp;of dead from the series of eruptions that began on Sunday (June 3) has been gradually rising and currently stands at 109, according to the country's Institute of Forensic Sciences. Authorities report that 190 people are still missing.

Guatemala's national disaster agency says so far, the eruption has affected the lives of 1.7 million people and 12,000 have been evacuated.

Those in shelters are unsure as to what awaits them when they return home.

Fuego, or "Fire" in Spanish, lies about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of the capital,&nbsp;Guatemala&nbsp;City, near the picturesque colonial city of Antigua, a UNESCO world heritage site. The 3,763-metre (12,346-feet) peak is one of several active volcanoes among 34 in&nbsp;Guatemala.

&nbsp;

Those in shelters are unsure as to what awaits them when they return home

Tragedy for families in Guatemala as they bury their dead on Thursday (June 07) after this week's eruptions from the mighty Fuego volcano. In the rural community of Alotenango locals have been hard hit. For many here, there was not enough time to evacuate after a blanket of hot ash and smoke covered large parts of the region. The toll of dead from the series of eruptions that began on Sunday (June 3) has been gradually rising and currently stands at 109, according to the country's Institute of Forensic Sciences. Authorities report that 190 people are still missing. Guatemala's national disaster agency says so far, the eruption has affected the lives of 1.7 million people and 12,000 have been evacuated. Those in shelters are unsure as to what awaits them when they return home. Fuego, or "Fire" in Spanish, lies about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of the capital, Guatemala City, near the picturesque colonial city of Antigua, a UNESCO world heritage site. The 3,763-metre (12,346-feet) peak is one of several active volcanoes among 34 in Guatemala.

Guatemala volcanic eruption: Death toll at 109, several displaced

Explosions boomed from Guatemala's fearsome Fuego volcano Wednesday, unleashing fresh torrents of molten mud and ash down slopes, as the death toll from a previous eruption rose to at least 99.

Fears of a new blowup of the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) volcano have stalked rescue workers since Sunday's eruption buried entire villages on its southern flank.

The National Forensic Sciences Agency said in a report Wednesday that morgues had received the remains of 99 people killed as a result of the eruption.

Only 28 have been identified so far, it said.

"We already have data with names and locations where there are missing persons and that number is 192," Sergio Cabanas, head of Guatemala's disaster management agency, told reporters earlier in the day.

Experts warned Wednesday that heavy rains in the area could provoke avalanches due to the large flows of volcanic mud, known as lahars, since the eruption on Sunday.

Volcanologists recorded the volcano exploding several times an hour Wednesday, which generated a fresh 4,700 meter (15,500 feet) high column of gray ash.

"The explosions are generating moderate avalanches that have an approximate distance of 800 to 1,000 meters," the Vulcanology Institute said.

It said the lahars could sweep down the mountain laden with concrete, rocks up to a meter (yard) in diameter and tree trunks.

"The activity continues and the possibility of new pyroclastic flows in the next hours or days cannot be ruled out, so it is recommended not to remain near the affected area," it said.

Emergency workers had to temporarily suspend their search late Tuesday after a new eruption triggered a landslide.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from seven communities in the Escuintla area near the summit, as panicked locals rushed to their cars to escape, causing chaotic traffic.

An AFP photographer saw a large plume of ash rise into the sky, prompting an evacuation of everyone authorities could find before the police, the military and rescuers were ordered to stand down.

Ongoing search&nbsp;

Hundreds of rescue workers, including firefighters, police and the military, were battling adverse conditions to search for remains in the tangled morass of rubble, dust and earth left behind by the landslides.

General Walter Sanchez, in charge of operations around the epicenter of the destruction near the village of El Rodeo, said the heat from the ash and hot sediment made rescue work difficult.

Firefighters hosed down their smoking boots, which had sunk into molten volcanic material just below the ash surface.

Everything in the search area was covered in a thick blanket of dust. In the murk created by the dust, police were using red ink to mark homes that had already been searched for bodies.

More than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, the disaster management agency said, more than 3,000 of them housed in temporary shelters.

On the slopes Wednesday, local volunteers distributed food to rescue workers, and columns of cars handed out food, water, toilet paper, diapers and other necessities to residents.

Some residents said they had organized themselves to prevent looting that they claimed occurred on the first night of the disaster.

Strongest in decades

The killer eruption was the Central American country's strongest in four decades.

It sent huge clouds of ash barreling over the surrounding area, blanketing roads, cars and people in the thick grey dust as a river of molten mud carved a path down the mountain, sweeping away entire villages.

Officials said the speed and ferocity of the eruption took mountain communities by surprise, with many of the dead found in or around their homes.

Despite offers of international help from the United States, Mexico and several Latin American neighbours, Guatemalan authorities have not made a request for foreign aid.

The foreign ministry said disaster management agency CONRED would help determine any such request.

"We are ready when CONRED as the governing body of emergency management authorize us to make an appeal," the ministry said in a statement.

President Jimmy Morales has been criticized on social media for passively waiting to react to offers of international aid.

The head of the International Red Cross Francesco Rocca is due to visit the country on Thursday, the Geneva-based agency said.

Explosions boomed from Guatemala's fearsome Fuego volcano Wednesday, unleashing fresh torrents of molten mud and ash down slopes, as the death toll from a previous eruption rose to at least 99

Explosions boomed from Guatemala's fearsome Fuego volcano Wednesday, unleashing fresh torrents of molten mud and ash down slopes, as the death toll from a previous eruption rose to at least 99. Fears of a new blowup of the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) volcano have stalked rescue workers since Sunday's eruption buried entire villages on its southern flank. The National Forensic Sciences Agency said in a report Wednesday that morgues had received the remains of 99 people killed as a result of the eruption. Only 28 have been identified so far, it said. "We already have data with names and locations where there are missing persons and that number is 192," Sergio Cabanas, head of Guatemala's disaster management agency, told reporters earlier in the day. Experts warned Wednesday that heavy rains in the area could provoke avalanches due to the large flows of volcanic mud, known as lahars, since the eruption on Sunday. Volcanologists recorded the volcano exploding several times an hour Wednesday, which generated a fresh 4,700 meter (15,500 feet) high column of gray ash. "The explosions are generating moderate avalanches that have an approximate distance of 800 to 1,000 meters," the Vulcanology Institute said. It said the lahars could sweep down the mountain laden with concrete, rocks up to a meter (yard) in diameter and tree trunks. "The activity continues and the possibility of new pyroclastic flows in the next hours or days cannot be ruled out, so it is recommended not to remain near the affected area," it said. Emergency workers had to temporarily suspend their search late Tuesday after a new eruption triggered a landslide. Hundreds of people were evacuated from seven communities in the Escuintla area near the summit, as panicked locals rushed to their cars to escape, causing chaotic traffic. An AFP photographer saw a large plume of ash rise into the sky, prompting an evacuation of everyone authorities could find before the police, the military and rescuers were ordered to stand down. Ongoing search Hundreds of rescue workers, including firefighters, police and the military, were battling adverse conditions to search for remains in the tangled morass of rubble, dust and earth left behind by the landslides. General Walter Sanchez, in charge of operations around the epicenter of the destruction near the village of El Rodeo, said the heat from the ash and hot sediment made rescue work difficult. Firefighters hosed down their smoking boots, which had sunk into molten volcanic material just below the ash surface. Everything in the search area was covered in a thick blanket of dust. In the murk created by the dust, police were using red ink to mark homes that had already been searched for bodies. More than 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, the disaster management agency said, more than 3,000 of them housed in temporary shelters. On the slopes Wednesday, local volunteers distributed food to rescue workers, and columns of cars handed out food, water, toilet paper, diapers and other necessities to residents. Some residents said they had organized themselves to prevent looting that they claimed occurred on the first night of the disaster. Strongest in decades The killer eruption was the Central American country's strongest in four decades. It sent huge clouds of ash barreling over the surrounding area, blanketing roads, cars and people in the thick grey dust as a river of molten mud carved a path down the mountain, sweeping away entire villages. Officials said the speed and ferocity of the eruption took mountain communities by surprise, with many of the dead found in or around their homes. Despite offers of international help from the United States, Mexico and several Latin American neighbours, Guatemalan authorities have not made a request for foreign aid. The foreign ministry said disaster management agency CONRED would help determine any such request. "We are ready when CONRED as the governing body of emergency management authorize us to make an appeal," the ministry said in a statement. President Jimmy Morales has been criticized on social media for passively waiting to react to offers of international aid. The head of the International Red Cross Francesco Rocca is due to visit the country on Thursday, the Geneva-based agency said.

Death toll rises to 99 in Guatemala's volcanic eruption

A cloud of ash went up in the air, as high as 3 miles, when Indonesia&#39;s Mount Sinabung erupted earlier today.

The &#39;active volcano&#39; was seen spewing ash up to 4.6 kilometres into the sky.&nbsp;

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No casualties have been reported so far.

Western Indonesian regions and Sumatra island have been put on high alert.&nbsp;

Locals have been urged to stay alert and keep at least 3-7 kilometres away from the regions marked under danger zone.

Indonesia is home to close to 90 percent of the world&#39;s seismic activity housing nearly 130 active volcanoes.&nbsp;

Mount Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years.

&quot;After another period of inactivity , it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since,&quot; AFP reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Western Indonesian regions and Sumatra island have been put on high alert.?

A cloud of ash went up in the air, as high as 3 miles, when Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupted earlier today. The 'active volcano' was seen spewing ash up to 4.6 kilometres into the sky. × No casualties have been reported so far. Western Indonesian regions and Sumatra island have been put on high alert. Locals have been urged to stay alert and keep at least 3-7 kilometres away from the regions marked under danger zone. Indonesia is home to close to 90 percent of the world's seismic activity housing nearly 130 active volcanoes. Mount Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. "After another period of inactivity , it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since," AFP reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupts, no casualties reported?

A window appeared to be closing on Friday for travellers stranded on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali as airlines cut back on flights, fearing a return of plumes of volcanic ash. An erupting volcano closed the airport for most of this week, stranding thousands of visitors from Australia, China and other countries, before the winds changed and flights resumed.

Australian budget airline Jetstar said it would cancel nine flights on Friday after meteorological officials warned the ash could hit operations at Bali airport, about 60 km (37 miles) southwest of the Mount Agung volcano. Malaysia&#39;s AirAsia Bhd said it would only operate out of Bali during the day, as the ash could impair visibility at night and wind conditions in the area were unpredictable.&nbsp;

&quot;They don`t have an answer if they have space for us for the next flight,&quot; said Martim Cazado, a traveller who was trying to get home to Portugal via Singapore but had been unable to get a flight.

He was worried he might be stuck waiting in front of the Bali airport`s departure hall for a few days, he added. &nbsp;

A column of white smoke and ash hung above Mount Agung, where tremors continued, meteorological officials said, although with decreasing frequency, while lava sparks flash at night.

Ash was visible to the southeast of Mount Agung, the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre said on its website. &nbsp;

&quot;Volcanological sources indicate a larger eruption is still possible,&quot; it said.

Days of Ashfall

The wind was blowing the ash towards the east and the airport was clear for normal operations, Indonesia`s transport ministry said in a statement. Jetstar and its parent, Qantas Airways Ltd, had planned up to 18 flights on Friday to ferry 4,300 passengers home to Australia, including one by a Qantas 747 jet. But Jetstar will cancel nine flights after &quot;a sudden change in today`s forecast for this evening in Bali,&quot; it said in a website update.

Other airlines with regular Bali flights, including Singapore Airlines Ltd and Garuda Indonesia, have not posted website updates on Friday evening`s flight plans. Airlines avoid flying through volcanic ash as it can damage aircraft engines, clogging fuel and cooling systems, hampering pilot visibility and even causing engine failure.

A tropical cyclone south of Java island altered wind direction in the area, including for Bali, where it could bring heavy rains and strong winds until Saturday, the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysics agency said.

About 10,700 foreign and 6,400 domestic tourists left Bali on Thursday, airport data showed.

Thousands of residents remain in a 10-km (6-mile) danger zone around the volcano, reluctant to leave for religious reasons or unwilling to abandon homes and livestock.&nbsp;

A rescue team escorted 10 people off its southwestern slope on Friday, some of whom said they had endured days of falling ash and feared potentially deadly volcanic mudflows.&nbsp;An estimated 90,000 to 100,000 people live in the danger area near the volcano in eastern Bali.

An erupting volcano closed the airport for most of this week

A window appeared to be closing on Friday for travellers stranded on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali as airlines cut back on flights, fearing a return of plumes of volcanic ash. An erupting volcano closed the airport for most of this week, stranding thousands of visitors from Australia, China and other countries, before the winds changed and flights resumed. Australian budget airline Jetstar said it would cancel nine flights on Friday after meteorological officials warned the ash could hit operations at Bali airport, about 60 km (37 miles) southwest of the Mount Agung volcano. Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd said it would only operate out of Bali during the day, as the ash could impair visibility at night and wind conditions in the area were unpredictable. "They don`t have an answer if they have space for us for the next flight," said Martim Cazado, a traveller who was trying to get home to Portugal via Singapore but had been unable to get a flight. He was worried he might be stuck waiting in front of the Bali airport`s departure hall for a few days, he added. A column of white smoke and ash hung above Mount Agung, where tremors continued, meteorological officials said, although with decreasing frequency, while lava sparks flash at night. Ash was visible to the southeast of Mount Agung, the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre said on its website. "Volcanological sources indicate a larger eruption is still possible," it said. Days of Ashfall The wind was blowing the ash towards the east and the airport was clear for normal operations, Indonesia`s transport ministry said in a statement. Jetstar and its parent, Qantas Airways Ltd, had planned up to 18 flights on Friday to ferry 4,300 passengers home to Australia, including one by a Qantas 747 jet. But Jetstar will cancel nine flights after "a sudden change in today`s forecast for this evening in Bali," it said in a website update. Other airlines with regular Bali flights, including Singapore Airlines Ltd and Garuda Indonesia, have not posted website updates on Friday evening`s flight plans. Airlines avoid flying through volcanic ash as it can damage aircraft engines, clogging fuel and cooling systems, hampering pilot visibility and even causing engine failure. A tropical cyclone south of Java island altered wind direction in the area, including for Bali, where it could bring heavy rains and strong winds until Saturday, the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysics agency said. About 10,700 foreign and 6,400 domestic tourists left Bali on Thursday, airport data showed. Thousands of residents remain in a 10-km (6-mile) danger zone around the volcano, reluctant to leave for religious reasons or unwilling to abandon homes and livestock. A rescue team escorted 10 people off its southwestern slope on Friday, some of whom said they had endured days of falling ash and feared potentially deadly volcanic mudflows. An estimated 90,000 to 100,000 people live in the danger area near the volcano in eastern Bali.

Airlines limit Bali flights to guard against volcanic ash

According to international media coverage, the main problem with Gunung Agung&rsquo;s eruption is that the airport is closed and tourists cannot get in or out.

The people of East Bali are largely invisible in these reports, but they too are worried about getting home. While they are well aware of the physical danger, for them, the mountain also represents spiritual elevation and power. It embodies a god and its rumbles are a sign of the god&rsquo;s displeasure.

While Balinese are nominally Hindu, their most immediate spiritual relationships are with their ancestors and a host of other invisible beings related to the landscape and forces of nature.

Moving out of harm&rsquo;s way

A month ago, people close to Mt Agung were told to evacuate, but they gradually drifted back to their homes and livelihoods. Now, they can see the glow of lava reflected in the night sky and local rivers running grey with cold lahar &ndash; all signs reminiscent of the last eruption in 1963.

The alert has been raised back to the highest level of 4 and a 10km evacuation zone has been re-established around the crater, affecting about 150,000 people.

Nobody wants to evacuate. It means abandoning homes, crops, animals and livelihoods, for an unknown time and an uncertain future. But people are doing it not just because the government is telling them to, but also because of what happened last time.

The volcano and the god it embodies feature in most stories about the origins of Balinese culture, religion and political order. While not many people remember Mt Agung&rsquo;s last eruption, there are stories and physical traces in the form of deep lava fields and the fertility of soils that have maintained some of the most productive rice fields in the world for at least a millennium.

The wrath of the great mountain

Gunung Agung means &ldquo;great mountain&rdquo;. It is the tallest of a cluster of volcanoes across the island, part of a much longer chain that extends through Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Thousands of people live on its slopes, tens of thousands around the foot of it and hundreds of thousands within the zone of previous lava flows and ash falls.

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Lahar from Mount Agung flowing down the Yeh Sah River. (Others)
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Mount Agung is what geologists call a stratovolcano. They do not erupt often but when they do it is usually in violent explosions. They often create lethal combinations: Rains of heated rock and ash, poisonous gases&nbsp;and massive, fast-moving flows of lava supercharged with gases and other materials (known as pyroclastic flows).

These kill, destroy and bury. Vesuvius in Italy (79 AD and 1631), Tambora (1815) and Krakatoa (1883) in Indonesia and Mt Tarawera in New Zealand (1886) are famous examples. Pinatubo in the Philippines (1991) was the biggest of the 20th century but Agung&rsquo;s 1963 explosion was not far behind. It killed many more people.

The official Agung death toll in 1963 was around 1500, but the reality was more like 2000. Most were killed by pyroclastic flows, which buried whole valleys and villages. Some people fled but others saw the eruption as the work of the gods and stayed and prayed as the lava advanced. Some survived, most did not.

Anna Mathew&rsquo;s little-known book The Night of Purnama, observed and written from a village high on the slopes, tells of a build-up eerily similar to what is happening now, culminating in a series of massive eruptions with a catastrophic aftermath. The falling ash destroyed crops across the eastern half of the island. Widespread hunger and dislocation followed. People ate the trunks of banana trees to survive and young men took to the roads in search of work and food.

Mt Agung&rsquo;s last eruption

Indonesia in 1963 was not a happy place. After 16 years of independence, it had serious economic problems, fragile food security and growing political instability. Sukarno, the first president, retained a fragile grip on power, but was threatened by the growing strength of a huge communist party, asserting the rights of landless farmers and sharecroppers.

The previous year a plague of rats had decimated the rice crop, proving that the gods were offended and more disasters would follow. Religious leaders and scholars debated whether the time had come for the Eka Dasa Rudra, the greatest island-wide ritual of purification and re-establishment of order. It is normally held at the turn of a (Balinese) century but may also be held in times of crisis to avert greater disasters.

Meanwhile, Sukarno was casting around for sources of foreign exchange, and eyeing the lucrative growth of tourism in countries such as Thailand. He decided to promote tourism, with the dazzling religious and artistic culture of Bali as its centrepiece. He invited the Pacific Asia Travel Association to hold their convention in Bali and timed it to coincide with the Eka Dasa Rudra.

The ceremony is held at Besakih, a major temple of island-wide significance perched high on the southern slope of Gunung Agung. During the preparations, the mountain began doing what it is doing now. The previous eruption had been 120 years earlier, so there were no living memories to go by. Balinese leaders interpreted this as a warning from the gods that something was wrong. They called for a postponement but were overruled.

The ceremony began amid smoke and falling ash. As it proceeded, the real eruption began, blasting molten rock high into the air and pouring lava down its sides. Besakih survived, but the ceremonial gateway built to honour Sukarno was the first casualty of the gods&rsquo; displeasure. The catastrophic outcome and aftermath were seen as clear evidence of Sukarno&rsquo;s loss of favour with the gods. He was deposed two years later.

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Mount Agung spewing hot volcanic ash as high as three kilometers into the atmosphere. (Others)
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Ritual response

Since 1963, population and density in Indonesia have more than doubled. More people live on the slopes of the mountain and higher up. On the other hand, most people are less dependent on local subsistence crops and infrastructure for delivery of food relief. Escape has also improved enormously. Likewise, the evacuations should reduce the immediate impact on life and health.

If this eruption continues to follow the pattern of 1963, the consequences for tourism, agriculture and livelihoods, in general, are likely to be greater than those of the terrorist bombs in 2002 and 2005. Most Balinese will agree that it is the doing of the gods, but there will be different interpretations of their reasons, ranging from violations of the sacred mountain by tourists and sand mining to broader reflections on the direction of development and its social and environmental consequences.

But the solution will be the same as after the bombs - ritual, bigger and better than ever, which will address the supernatural causes and attract the tourists back at the same time.

If the big eruption doesn&rsquo;t happen, the ash clouds will drift away, the planes will fly again, everyone will return to business as usual. It will all be forgotten, along with the evacuees, until next time.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tourists-are-stuck-at-the-airport-but-erupting-mt-agung-has-a-deeper-significance-for-the-balinese-88297" rel="nofollow">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Image Credit: AAP, EPA

&nbsp;

To the people of Bali, Mt Agung is not just a volcano. The "great mountain" holds spiritual power and reflects cultural and political unrest

According to international media coverage, the main problem with Gunung Agung’s eruption is that the airport is closed and tourists cannot get in or out. The people of East Bali are largely invisible in these reports, but they too are worried about getting home. While they are well aware of the physical danger, for them, the mountain also represents spiritual elevation and power. It embodies a god and its rumbles are a sign of the god’s displeasure. While Balinese are nominally Hindu, their most immediate spiritual relationships are with their ancestors and a host of other invisible beings related to the landscape and forces of nature. Moving out of harm’s way A month ago, people close to Mt Agung were told to evacuate, but they gradually drifted back to their homes and livelihoods. Now, they can see the glow of lava reflected in the night sky and local rivers running grey with cold lahar – all signs reminiscent of the last eruption in 1963. The alert has been raised back to the highest level of 4 and a 10km evacuation zone has been re-established around the crater, affecting about 150,000 people. Nobody wants to evacuate. It means abandoning homes, crops, animals and livelihoods, for an unknown time and an uncertain future. But people are doing it not just because the government is telling them to, but also because of what happened last time. The volcano and the god it embodies feature in most stories about the origins of Balinese culture, religion and political order. While not many people remember Mt Agung’s last eruption, there are stories and physical traces in the form of deep lava fields and the fertility of soils that have maintained some of the most productive rice fields in the world for at least a millennium. The wrath of the great mountain Gunung Agung means “great mountain”. It is the tallest of a cluster of volcanoes across the island, part of a much longer chain that extends through Java to the west and Lombok to the east. Thousands of people live on its slopes, tens of thousands around the foot of it and hundreds of thousands within the zone of previous lava flows and ash falls. Lahar from Mount Agung flowing down the Yeh Sah River. (Others) × Mount Agung is what geologists call a stratovolcano. They do not erupt often but when they do it is usually in violent explosions. They often create lethal combinations: Rains of heated rock and ash, poisonous gases and massive, fast-moving flows of lava supercharged with gases and other materials (known as pyroclastic flows). These kill, destroy and bury. Vesuvius in Italy (79 AD and 1631), Tambora (1815) and Krakatoa (1883) in Indonesia and Mt Tarawera in New Zealand (1886) are famous examples. Pinatubo in the Philippines (1991) was the biggest of the 20th century but Agung’s 1963 explosion was not far behind. It killed many more people. The official Agung death toll in 1963 was around 1500, but the reality was more like 2000. Most were killed by pyroclastic flows, which buried whole valleys and villages. Some people fled but others saw the eruption as the work of the gods and stayed and prayed as the lava advanced. Some survived, most did not. Anna Mathew’s little-known book The Night of Purnama, observed and written from a village high on the slopes, tells of a build-up eerily similar to what is happening now, culminating in a series of massive eruptions with a catastrophic aftermath. The falling ash destroyed crops across the eastern half of the island. Widespread hunger and dislocation followed. People ate the trunks of banana trees to survive and young men took to the roads in search of work and food. Mt Agung’s last eruption Indonesia in 1963 was not a happy place. After 16 years of independence, it had serious economic problems, fragile food security and growing political instability. Sukarno, the first president, retained a fragile grip on power, but was threatened by the growing strength of a huge communist party, asserting the rights of landless farmers and sharecroppers. The previous year a plague of rats had decimated the rice crop, proving that the gods were offended and more disasters would follow. Religious leaders and scholars debated whether the time had come for the Eka Dasa Rudra, the greatest island-wide ritual of purification and re-establishment of order. It is normally held at the turn of a (Balinese) century but may also be held in times of crisis to avert greater disasters. Meanwhile, Sukarno was casting around for sources of foreign exchange, and eyeing the lucrative growth of tourism in countries such as Thailand. He decided to promote tourism, with the dazzling religious and artistic culture of Bali as its centrepiece. He invited the Pacific Asia Travel Association to hold their convention in Bali and timed it to coincide with the Eka Dasa Rudra. The ceremony is held at Besakih, a major temple of island-wide significance perched high on the southern slope of Gunung Agung. During the preparations, the mountain began doing what it is doing now. The previous eruption had been 120 years earlier, so there were no living memories to go by. Balinese leaders interpreted this as a warning from the gods that something was wrong. They called for a postponement but were overruled. The ceremony began amid smoke and falling ash. As it proceeded, the real eruption began, blasting molten rock high into the air and pouring lava down its sides. Besakih survived, but the ceremonial gateway built to honour Sukarno was the first casualty of the gods’ displeasure. The catastrophic outcome and aftermath were seen as clear evidence of Sukarno’s loss of favour with the gods. He was deposed two years later. Mount Agung spewing hot volcanic ash as high as three kilometers into the atmosphere. (Others) × Ritual response Since 1963, population and density in Indonesia have more than doubled. More people live on the slopes of the mountain and higher up. On the other hand, most people are less dependent on local subsistence crops and infrastructure for delivery of food relief. Escape has also improved enormously. Likewise, the evacuations should reduce the immediate impact on life and health. If this eruption continues to follow the pattern of 1963, the consequences for tourism, agriculture and livelihoods, in general, are likely to be greater than those of the terrorist bombs in 2002 and 2005. Most Balinese will agree that it is the doing of the gods, but there will be different interpretations of their reasons, ranging from violations of the sacred mountain by tourists and sand mining to broader reflections on the direction of development and its social and environmental consequences. But the solution will be the same as after the bombs - ritual, bigger and better than ever, which will address the supernatural causes and attract the tourists back at the same time. If the big eruption doesn’t happen, the ash clouds will drift away, the planes will fly again, everyone will return to business as usual. It will all be forgotten, along with the evacuees, until next time. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: AAP, EPA

Opinion: Fallout of Mt Agung's eruption is worse than bombs

The international airport on the resort island of Bali will be closed for a third day, Indonesian officials said Wednesday, as ash from a rumbling volcano poses a danger to planes.&nbsp;

&quot;Bali&#39;s Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Thursday morning,&quot; airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim told AFP.&nbsp;

Mount Agung, which looms over one of the world&#39;s top holiday spots, could produce a thunderous eruption at any moment, officials have warned, forcing the main airport to be shut since Monday.&nbsp;

Massive columns of thick grey smoke and ash that have been belching from the volcano since last week have now begun shooting high into the sky, forcing hundreds of flights to be grounded and stranding around 120,000 tourists.&nbsp;

Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines.&nbsp;

Tens of thousand have already fled their homes around the volcano -- which last erupted in 1963, killing around 1,600 people -- but as many as 100,000 will likely be forced to leave, disaster agency officials have said.&nbsp;

There is a 10 kilometre exclusion zone around Agung, which is 75 kilometres away from the beachside tourist hub of Kuta.&nbsp;

Some 100 buses will haul stranded visitors to several destinations including Indonesia&#39;s second-biggest city Surabaya -- 13 hours&#39; drive and a ferry ride away -- and the capital Jakarta, the airport said, as torrential rain lashed the beach paradise.&nbsp;

Disaster officials have previously raised alert levels to maximum and accelerated the mass evacuation of people living in Agung&#39;s shadow.&nbsp;

Agung rumbled back to life in September, forcing the evacuation of 140,000 people living nearby. Its activity decreased in late October and many returned to their homes.&nbsp;

However, on Saturday the mountain sent smoke up into the air for the second time in a week in what volcanologists call a phreatic eruption -- caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater.&nbsp;

So-called cold lava flows have also appeared -- similar to mud flows and often a prelude to the blazing orange lava of popular imagination.&nbsp;

Indonesia, the world&#39;s most active volcanic region, lies on the Pacific &quot;Ring of Fire&quot; where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities.&nbsp;

'Bali's Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Thursday morning,' airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said

The international airport on the resort island of Bali will be closed for a third day, Indonesian officials said Wednesday, as ash from a rumbling volcano poses a danger to planes. "Bali's Ngurah Rai airport will remain closed until at least Thursday morning," airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim told AFP. Mount Agung, which looms over one of the world's top holiday spots, could produce a thunderous eruption at any moment, officials have warned, forcing the main airport to be shut since Monday. Massive columns of thick grey smoke and ash that have been belching from the volcano since last week have now begun shooting high into the sky, forcing hundreds of flights to be grounded and stranding around 120,000 tourists. Ash is dangerous for planes as it makes runways slippery and can be sucked into their engines. Tens of thousand have already fled their homes around the volcano -- which last erupted in 1963, killing around 1,600 people -- but as many as 100,000 will likely be forced to leave, disaster agency officials have said. There is a 10 kilometre exclusion zone around Agung, which is 75 kilometres away from the beachside tourist hub of Kuta. Some 100 buses will haul stranded visitors to several destinations including Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya -- 13 hours' drive and a ferry ride away -- and the capital Jakarta, the airport said, as torrential rain lashed the beach paradise. Disaster officials have previously raised alert levels to maximum and accelerated the mass evacuation of people living in Agung's shadow. Agung rumbled back to life in September, forcing the evacuation of 140,000 people living nearby. Its activity decreased in late October and many returned to their homes. However, on Saturday the mountain sent smoke up into the air for the second time in a week in what volcanologists call a phreatic eruption -- caused by the heating and expansion of groundwater. So-called cold lava flows have also appeared -- similar to mud flows and often a prelude to the blazing orange lava of popular imagination. Indonesia, the world's most active volcanic region, lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities.

Bali airport closed for third day

The small town of Nejapa in El Salvador is home to a rather bizarre festival. Bolas de Fuego, literally meaning &ldquo;balls of fire,&rdquo; involves throwing fiery gasoline-soaked rags at one another.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lR_y80ILWk4" width="970"></iframe>

The ceremony commemorates the volcanic eruption of 1922 that forced residents to flee the old town, which was destroyed completely in the fire. The church claims that the eruption was god&rsquo;s way to drive away the evil from the town. 
The tradition has gained more and more attention over the past decade, with few injuries being reported.&nbsp;

Residents of Nejapa celebrate a religious rite where youngsters throw fiery fuel-soaked rags at each other.

The small town of Nejapa in El Salvador is home to a rather bizarre festival. Bolas de Fuego, literally meaning “balls of fire,” involves throwing fiery gasoline-soaked rags at one another. The ceremony commemorates the volcanic eruption of 1922 that forced residents to flee the old town, which was destroyed completely in the fire. The church claims that the eruption was god’s way to drive away the evil from the town. The tradition has gained more and more attention over the past decade, with few injuries being reported.

Video: El Salvador's Fireball throwing Festival

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