(MENAFN- Gulf Times)
Nearly 50,000 residents have evacuated their homes amid fears of an imminent volcanic eruption on the resort island of Bali, disaster officials said on Monday.
"The number of evacuees is 48,540," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesperson for the disaster mitigation agency, said at a press conference.
Residents have sought refuge in temporary shelters, as fears grow that Mount Agung could erupt for the first time in half a century.
Officials denied false newscirculating online that the volcano had erupted, saying photos on social media were from previous volcanic eruptionsin the country.
"Mount Agung hasn't erupted," said Nugroho. "Those images are of different volcanoes."
Authorities on Friday raised the alert for Mount Agung to the highest level, indicating an eruption is imminent.
Budi Hartini, an official at anemergency post in Karangasem district, where the volcano is located, said 49,300 people living near the volcano had been sheltered in makeshift camps in 10 localities.
"There are still villagers who are staying put and we are persuading them to evacuate," Hartini said.
The 3,031-metre Mount Agunglast erupted for almost a year in 1963 to 1964, killing about 1,200 people.
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