Mount Agung eruption has not finished yet, the impact for Bali
When Mount Agung erupts, Laura Whitmore is in Bali for a vacation. Irish presenter and model can not go home on schedule because the volcanic ash that spurted from the crater blocking the plane, forcing the authorities to close the International Airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai.
To the anxious fans, the celebrity reveals what he experienced is not as gruesome as the news that blows all the way around the world, which gives the impression that the whole island of God is in a critical condition.
All parties handle the situation very well. The atmosphere in Bali is also calm, "he said as quoted from the site of the Irish Mirror, Tuesday (28/11/2017) night.If there is no obligation that forced him home, he will gladly claim to continue his stay on the island nicknamed Nusa Dewata it.
Whitmore said he planned to leave Bali on Sunday, November 26, 2017. However, for the sake of safety, the airline canceled the flight. The airport was closed since Monday. No one knows when the situation will return to normal.
"I love Bali and its people, but because we have to go home quickly, we decided to return via Surabaya, traveling 10 hours by road (also ferry), this is the best route to leave the island and not expensive at all," he said. .
The closure of Bali airport was then extended until Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 07.00 Wita.
AirNav Indonesia Operations Director Wisnu Darjono said the extension of airport closure had to be done for 24 hours. Therefore, the material due to the volcanic activity of Mount Agung, covering air space above I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, thus affecting flight security.
As a result, 445 flights were affected, both flights to and from Bali. Flights departing from Bali are canceled or delayed. A total of 186 international routes and 249 domestic routes were canceled.
The closure of Ngurah Rai Airport became the concern of Vice President Jusuf Kalla. According to JK, it clearly makes Bali lose money.
"Every day, the incoming aircraft carry about 7,000 to 8,000 tourists to Bali, this is from foreign countries, if it has not been in three days, calculate it means there are 24,000 do not enter," said JK in his office on Tuesday (28/11/2017) .
Not only the air sector, ground transportation such as railways are also affected by the eruption of Mount Agung.
PT Kereta Api Indonesia Operations Area (PT KAI Daop) 8 Surabaya canceled the railway pass over Surabaya, Banyuwangi, Denpasar Bali, following the impact of Mount Agung eruption.
Public Relations Manager of PT KAI Daop 8 Gatut Sutiyatmoko said the cancellation of tickets for the canal happened to train (KA) Pearl East.
"The passenger ticket is the passengers from Gubeng Surabaya station in relation to Banyuwangi Station, then transferred by Damri bus to Denpasar, but because of Mount Agung eruption, the scheme is temporarily canceled," he explained.
About the loss, Chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) Bali, Tjokorda Artha Ardhana Sukawati has a detailed count.
He said the largest revenue sector on the island of Bali comes from tourism. He counted, since Mount Agung erupted, Bali lost Rp 237.6 billion per day.
The calculations that he was based on lost tourist potential, both local and foreign tourists. At least, there are about 18 thousand tourists who canceled to visit Bali since Mount Agung eruption.
"If from the assumption of Bank Indonesia (BI), per tourist is spending Rp 13.2 million, on average, So much is the lost potential (Rp 237.6 billion) .And for hotels, food and beverage is about 65 percent the total cost they run there, so big enough, "he explained.
Moreover, about 75 percent to 80 percent of tourists who come to Bali use air transportation services. "This is if the airport is closed, it means that his potential lost is so much," he explained.
The question is, how long will Mount Agung eruption end?
Head of BNPB Information and Public Relations Data Center, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho admitted that he can not predict when Gunung Agung will regain calm.
Earlier, in 1963, the eruption phase lasted almost a year. "We do not know it will end until when the signs are over," Sutopo told Liputan6.com on Tuesday (28/11/2017).
Similarly, former Head of Geological Agency Surono said, all volcanic activity can not be predicted in the sense of a forecast. All you can do is analyze the data and the potential for eruption.
"About the big eruption of Mount Agung when, when stopped, and others, it's God knows," said the volcanologist who is familiarly called Mbah Rono.