Indonesia's Ministry of Transport announced today that the country has just closed five major airports due to the impact of a volcanic eruption in the eastern part of the country.

Indonesia's Raung volcano is active again (photo: Reuters)

For a week now, Mount Raung in East Java has been spewing lava and hot ash hundreds of meters high, forcing thousands of nearby residents to evacuate. Indonesian authorities have pledged to resume flights to help passengers travel as soon as possible.Many flights to and from the popular tourist island of Bali have also been suspended. However, Indonesian aviation officials said the resumption of flights would depend on the eruption of Mount Raung.

Indonesia lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where continental plates collide, causing frequent volcanic activity and earthquakes.

This archipelago nation currently has 129 active volcanoes, including 21 on Java island./.

(According to VOV)