REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Transportation Ministry has arranged 100 buses and ferry services in Bali and West Nusa Tenggara in response to the volcanic activity and eruption of Mount Agung.

"We continue to monitor the updated condition of Mount Agung to respond to the impacts of the mount's volcanic activities. I have directed the head of Land Transportation Management Office of Region XII of Bali and West Nusa Tenggara to alert buses and ferry services to serve passengers affected due to the closure of the airport," Director General of Land Transportation Budi Setyadi stated in a press release received here on Monday.

I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport was closed on Monday from 7:15 a.m. local time until Tuesday due to dangerous volcanic ash being spewed by Mount Agung.

In preparation for all possibilities and risks due to the danger posed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Agung, Setyadi noted that his side had coordinated with the Airport Authority of Region IV of Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, police, DAMRI company that provides public transportation services, and Land Transport Organization (Organda).

"As the status of Mount Agung has been raised from alert level 3 to level 4, starting today, at 6 a.m. local time, we, along with DAMRI and Organda, have alerted 100 regular and tourism buses to transport passengers and tourists affected by the closure of the airport from I Gusti Ngurah Rai to Terminal Type A Mengwi of Bali Province and Padang Bai crossing port," he remarked.

Setyadi has also requested the authority of the crossing ports of Ketapang-Gilimanuk and Padang Bai-Lembar to take necessary steps to handle the surge in the number of passengers and vehicles.

Setyadi said that his side will continue to coordinate with the airlines, through the Airport Authority of I Gusti Ngurah Rai, to provide services to the community.

"Passengers keen on continuing their trip through the Lombok Praya Airport or to Java should be helped. Do not let them be stranded, as no transportation is on standby for them," he said.

The Lombok Praya Airport reopened on Monday at 6 a.m. local time after it was closed on Saturday on Nov 26 at 5:55 p.m. local time due to the volcanic ash from the mount's eruption.

Mount Agung, located in Karangasem District, on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, has been rumbling since August 2017.

The Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center (PVMBG) earlier reported that the 3,142-meter-high volcano had erupted on Tuesday afternoon (Nov 21), releasing volcanic ash and smoke, with grey smoke rising some 700 meters from the crater.

PVMBG Head of Volcano Supervision and Mitigation Devy Kamil Syahbana remarked in Denpasar on Tuesday that the smoke was drifting towards the eastern and southeastern regions of the volcano.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, on Tuesday, Mount Agung had a phreatic eruption, which was steam-driven without lava being ejected.

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