JAKARTA, 1 Dec 2017:
The Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia has opened a special counter at the Bali and Surabaya airports to facilitate the evacuation of Malaysians currently stranded at the resort island of Bali following the volcanic eruption of Mount Agung.
The embassy said in a statement staff at the counter would help the Malaysian citizens who wished to leave Bali via land route and to return to Malaysia via the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya.
The embassy is also working closely with the Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration, airlines and local authorities to ensure smooth running of the evacuation process, the statement said.
The Malaysian Immigration Department had said in a statement almost 1,400 Malaysians were stranded in Bali since the eruption of Mount Agung on Nov 21.
The I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali was closed since Monday as airborne ash from the erupting volcano posed serious hazard to aircraft and airlines operation. It has since reopened due to shifts in wind direction, though the eruption alert remains high.
“Malaysians stranded in Bali are advised to remain calm and to always follow the instructions issued by the authorities,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Antara news agency reported the immigration authority at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has extended the exit pass for all stranded tourists to another week.
– Bernama