Thousands flee as Bali volcano alert raised

KARANGASEM, Indonesia - A rumbling volcano on Bali could erupt at any moment, authorities warned on Monday as they raised alert levels to maximum, accelerated a mass evacuation and closed the main airport, leaving thousands of tourists stranded on the Indonesian resort island.

Massive columns of thick gray smoke that have been belching from Mount Agung since last week have now begun shooting more than 3 kilometers into the sky, forcing the grounding of hundreds of flights.

Videos released by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency showed a mudflow of volcanic debris and water known as a lahar moving down the volcano's slopes. The agency said lahars could increase because it is rainy season and warned people to stay away from rivers.