Ngurah Rai resumes operations

KUTA. Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali resumed operations at 4 p.m. local time on Sunday after authorities had closed the airport due to thick volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Raung in East Java.

"Ngurah Rai airport has resumed operating normally starting from 4 p.m.," the general manager of state-owned airport Angkasa Pura (AP) I at Ngurah Rai airport, Trikora Harjo, said as quoted by Antara on Sunday.

He said AP I made the decision during a meeting it held with related parties, including Ngurah Rai management, air navigation authorities and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Trikora said that based on the results of BMKG monitoring activities, volcanic ash from Mt Raung had drawn farther away from Ngurah Rai airport to the south.

"It has been reported by the BMKG that volcanic, which was previously heading to the southeast, has drawn further and further away from the airport, heading to the south and southeast before it begins to fade away there," said Trikora, adding that all passengers stranded on the airport could depart in stages. (ebf