TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Following the eruption of Mount Gamalama, airport authority at Ternate’s Sultan Babullah airport has extended the closure of airport until three days ahead.
As a result, 50 flights in a day from and to the airport have been cancelled.
Head of Sultah Babullah airport Taslim Badarudin said the extension of the closure was done due to the increasing volcanic activities of Mount Gamalama. He also said that even the process of cleaning the airport from the volcanic ashes had to be temporarily stopped.
“Yesterday afternoon, the ashes covered the runway again. We were forced to stop all activities,” Taslim told Tempo.
Taslim further said that from the cancellation of 50 flights, half of them were short flights between regions.
Meanwhile, six airlines such as Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air, Wing Air, Batik Air, Ekspres Air, Susi Air have temporarily stopped their flights to Ternate until an official announcement from the government is issued.
BUDHY NURGIANTO
