Airlines ground Bali flights after volcano erupts

DENPASAR, Indonesia: Airlines cancelled flights to and from the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Wednesday, leaving travellers stranded after a nearby volcano catapulted an ash tower miles into the sky.

At least 16 international routes were affected after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores island spewed a nine-kilometre tower a day earlier, the general manager of Bali´s international airport said in a statement.

Flights from Singapore, Hong Kong, Qatar, India, Australia, Malaysia, China´s Pudong and South Korea´s Incheon were all either delayed or grounded, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab said on Wednesday.

Animal clinic worker Samsudin, 52, from Indonesia´s main island was transiting in Bali to Malaysia and forced to spend the night at the airport.