Residents of Bali, Australia are beginning to evacuate in fear of the impending volcanic eruption of Mt. Agung, located in the Ring of Fire. The last eruption of this volcano was in 1963 and has been monitored closely since then, which provides inhabitants with enough time to be able to evacuate. Even with the threat of eruption hanging over the residents, tourists have not ceased coming to this attraction, with planes still running regularly in and out of Bali. However, according to ABC, one expert advises that “tourists should be ready to change their plans if the volcano erupts.”

Families that reside near the volcano have begun to pack up their belongings to escape from the imminent eruption as it becomes more active each day. According to CNET, “some 300 tremors were recorded between midnight and 6 am on Sunday, with authorities declaring a radius of nine kilometers around the mountain dangerous.” The residents have resorted to sheltering with families or in village halls outside of the volcano’s range. With the new influx of people in the shelters, the “national Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said 14 tons of aid has been sent, including tents, blankets, mattresses and portable communications equipment”, reported ABC.

As of Tuesday, the 26th of September, the scientists in Bali are now saying that the volcano could be hours away from erupting, but that it is difficult to say exactly when it will happen. The Guardian reported, “the increasing frequency of deep and shallow volcanic earthquakes, as well as local tectonic tremors, is an indication that magma continues to move toward the surface. The alert status of Agung was raised to the highest level on Friday (the 22nd) evening following a significant spike in seismic activity.” With many precautions being taken and evacuees finding shelter, all the residents of Bali can do now is wait and hope for the best.