JAKARTA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of villagers living in extended dangerous zone must be evacuated and over 400 flights have been affected after Mount Agung volcano in Bali strongly erupted, officials said on Monday.
Authorities in Bali have removed a total of about 40,000 villagers from the new evacuation zone and will evacuate about 50,000 to 60,000 others from the area, spokesman of the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
Israwadi Adi Sutjipto, corporate secretary of Angkasa Pura, operator of the international Ngurah Rai airport in Bali, said a total of 196 flights for international routes and 249 for domestic routes will be aborted.
"We predict as many as 445 flight schedules will be cancelled," he said in a statement.
Ngurah Rai international airport has been closed since 7 a.m. local time Monday (2300 GMT Sunday).
