Indonesia: Volcanic ash cloud leaves thousands stranded at Bali airport

An ash cloud caused by the eruption of the Mount Raung volcano on the island of Java left thousands of travellers stranded at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport near Denpasar, Wednesday. The volcanic eruption created disruptions for the third time this month, causing a reported 37 flights to be cancelled during peak holiday season. Summer vacationers tried to find alternative routes home, with the ash cloud also causing chaos for thousands of Muslims who were leaving the island after last week's Eid celebrations. Government specialists have stated that Mount Raung was shooting out ash an estimated 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) into the air on Wednesday. Authorities have said the airport will resume normal service on Thursday at 06:00 local time (Wednesday at 22:00 GMT). Bali's international airport was closed twice earlier in the month because of the Mount Raung eruption, leading to almost 900 flights being cancelled or delayed.