Consider This When Visiting Bali’s Mt. Agung
Experts have said that an eruption of the Mount Agung in Indonesia is inevitable. So before you travel on Bali, it is best to check your insurance policy and see if you are covered in case something happens. You need Bali travel insurance before going.
Mount Agung in Bali errupting on Nov. 27, 2017. (Photo: Michael W. Ishak)
When did the volcano last erupt?
The last time Mount Agung erupted was 1963, and it was horrifying for those living nearby. It all started on Vd . 18, when local people heard loud explosiopns and saw smoke coming from the volcano. After six days, the lava started pouring from the crater and traveled 4.5 miles in the next weeks. The eruptions kept happening, leaving a total of 1100 people dead. They were not prepared.
Are they prepared now?
They made up an exclusion zone of 7.5 miles around the crater, and the 75,000 residents were evacuated.
It happened again in the last days when the actual height of the eruption was not observed at first. It lasted about 2 minutes and 20 seconds. The second one, with a column 500 meters hight, that lasted for 1 minute and 45 seconds. The airports may be closed for a bit, but Bali is safe.
Will an eruption affect your holiday?
The tourist attractions in Bali are not in the exclusion zone that encompasses the volcano. The airlines still work and the tour operators still send people there. There is one thing: Due to the volcano, your movement could be restricted around the volcano.
Can you cancel your holiday?
You can, but you cannot get a refund. If the agency advises you not to go there, then that is when you will get a refund from the tour operators. You cannot arrange another date, either.
What if it erupts when you are there?
If it erupts while you are there, you need to follow what the local authorities say. If they suspend outdoor activities, you do not go outdoors. If they evacuated the residents who are closest to the crater, this means that you do cannot go there to see the volcano.
What happens in case of an eruption depends on how you booked your holiday. If you did booked your trip with the help of a tour operator, then they have the duty to get you home safely. They also has to look after you while you are there. If you did it by yourself, you are on your own. In this case, the airlines don’t have any obligation to get you home or to compensate you for anything while the airport is closed.
Article by Jameshed
