Tourist Visits to Besakih Unhindered by Mount Agung`s Volcanic Eruption

Karangasem, Bali, mina — Domestic and foreign tourists continue to visit Besakih Temple, situated some seven kilometers from the erupting Mount Agung in Karangasem District, Bali.

Despite the condition of Mt Agung still being unstable and likely to erupt again anytime with low intensity, it poses no barrier for the local and foreign tourists to visit Besakih Temple, known as Bali`s “Mother Temple” for over a thousand years.

Situated at a height of one thousand meters on the southwestern slopes of Mount Agung, Besakih is an artistic and unique complex that comprises at least 86 temples that include the main Pura Penataran Agung, or the Great Temple.

“I certainly want to visit Besakih Temple. Although the temple is only seven kilometers away from the erupting volcano, it is not a problem for me,”Antara News quoted Pablo, a tourist from Chile, as remarking here on Saturday.

The Center for Volcanology and Geology Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) has declared the alert status of Mount Agung at the third level, and people have been advised to desist from entering a four-kilometer radius from the mountain`s top.

The volcano spewed white cloud up to 200-300 meters into the air on Saturday morning, but Pablo said his plans to visit the Besakih Temple remain unchanged.

“There are also many active volcanoes in Chile, and earthquakes are frequent in our country. Thus, I feel that it is something normal, so I am not afraid, as I understand the steps to be taken in a dangerous situation,” he noted.

In the meantime, Ulfa Dwi, a domestic tourist from Probolinggo, East Java, admitted that her family and she visited Besakih Temple, as they were keen to get a closer look at the condition of Mount Agung.

“We usually see Mount Agung on television, but now we can see it directly from the temple,” she remarked.

Speaking in connection with the condition of Mount Agung that occasionally spews smoke that is visible from the area of the temple, Ulfa admitted to being concerned if Mount Agung erupted at any time.(T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)