Flights at the Hoskins airport in Papua New Guinea have been cancelled due to the eruption of Ulawun, the most active volcano in Papua New Guinea.
The airport is served by Air Niugini to Lae, Port Moresby and Rabaul and by PNG Air to Lae and Rabaul.
Although the eruption downgraded from a Level 4 to a Level 3 alert, indicating a “moderate to strong eruption,” the volcano remained active, and the outburst could continue indefinitely, shooting smoke up to 15km (9.3 miles) into the air and prompting residents to start evacuating.
The erupting volcano is on New Britain island about 47km (29 miles) away from Bialla, a town built among oil palm plantations on Ulawun’s slopes.
There is no risk of a tsunami being triggered off the coast of Japan by this eruption, as confirmed by the country’s geological hazard division.
