• Bali volcano continues to spew thick plumes of steam and gas
• Black ash has rained down on villages on Mount Agung’s slopes
• Dangerous lahars - cold lava - have been seen pouring off the volcano
• State of emergency in Bali has been extended to December 10
• Thousands of locals refuse to evacuate Mount Agung
• Volcano alert in Bali has been pushed up to the maximum level 4

Bringing you the latest updates from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Magma Indonesia, the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency (PVMBG) and other official sources. (All times GMT)

2.42am: Troops prepare to help Agung refugees

About 1,1000 members of Indonesia’s army are on standby to assist the evacuation of locals living in Mount Agung’s danger zone, according to Antara News.

"Our members are very ready to help the refugees because we are deploying personnel with full strength and I hope there will be no casualties,” Colonel Arh Gede Widiana said today. 

1pm: Mount Agung has ‘deflated’ since eruption

The volcano has deflated 3cm since erupting on Saturday, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho of Bali disaster mitigation agency (BNPB).

Agung had swelled by at least 4cm in the weeks preceding the eruption. 

Sutopo said that volcanologists are now investigating whether “the critical period has passed”.

11.55am: Refugees continue flocking to evacuation camps

The number of Mount Agung evacuees has increased to more than 55,000, according to Bali’s disaster mitigation agency.

Spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted that there are now as many as 55,773 people spread across 211 points of refuge on the island.

11.15am: Bali volcano travel update

Jetstar has revealed that it plans operate more flights out of Bali tomorrow after being forced to cancel a number of flights this evening. 

Spokesperson for the Australian airline Mark Del Pra said: “After a challenging day today where we were only able to operate around half of hour scheduled relief flights in Bali, we have some better news for tomorrow. 

“Our senior pilots have assessed the situation in Bali and given us the green light to operate flights tomorrow with conditions forecast to be safe for flying.”

Jetstar and Quantas plan to operate eight scheduled flights and four relief flights on Saturday, prioritising those who have been on the island longest.

For more information: BALI AIRPORT FLIGHT STATUS LIVE

9.29am: Bali volcano crater filling with lava

The PVMG estimates that one third of Mount Agung’s crater has filled with magma, according to Antara News. 

"We calculate it based on the monitoring results of Himawari satellite images of seismic recording data, deformation and geochemistry," said Gede Suantika at the Agung Observation Post in Rendang Village.

He explained that the findings indicate the magma is still very hot and that the volcano is still “in a critical phase”. 

7.47am: Satellite image shows Bali volcano ash plume from space

An incredible image taken on Wednesday (November 29) by Nasa’s Terra satellite shows volcanic ash billowing out of Mount Agung. 

Nasa’s Earth Observatory said: “The plume appears to rise from two vents in the volcano’s crater. 

“Just as the plume’s sulphur dioxide levels can vary, so too can the amount of steam and ash. 

“A whiter plume indicates the presence of more steam, while a darker plume indicates more ash.”

7.05am: Lombok International Airport reopens

The airport on Bali’s neighbouring island returned to normal operations this morning after being forced to close due to the dangerous levels of ash pouring out of Mount Agung. 

General Manager Gusti Ngurah Ardita said in a statement: “All flight operations both coming and departing from and to Lombok International Airport (LIA) resume normal operations.”

7am: Joe Tambini takes over live reporting.

2.31am: Holidaymakers stranded in Bali after airlines abandon rescue operations

Jetstar and Qantas have cancelled flights scheduled to repatriate holidaymakers who have been stranded by the erupting Mount Agung following predictions that the wind changes will smother the flight path with ash.

The airlines had been hoping to get as many passengers off the island before the wind changed or a full scale eruption strikes.

12.03am: Incredible footage shows the eruption strengthening.

Huge amounts of molten rock can be seen spitting out Mount Agung’s crater as a huge lightning storm rages in the background.

Thursday November 30

11pm: Thomas Hunt takes over live reporting.

10.35pm: Tourists flee Bali by boat

Australian tourists are using boats to escape Bali as thousands wait for flights.

Airlines are trying to clear a backlog of 100,000 passengers after Denpasar Airport finally reopened on Wednesday night as volcanic ash began to clear.

In a bid to beat the queues, some have used boast to travel to nearby Jakarta in order to fly home.

9.15pm: More than 48,000 refugees evacuated from their homes

Some 48,671 Bali residents have been displaced from the homes, according to BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

As of today, the refugees have been spread out across 228 evacuation points and thousands more remain in Agung's danger zone.

Mr Sutopo said that despite the threat of eruption, many of the evacuees continue to "work in exile", without "giving up" hope.

8pm: Indonesia braces for second cyclone impact

As the residents of Bali continue to live in the shadow of Mount Agung, a new threat is slowly approaching Indonesia.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a warning on Wednesday of a new tropical cyclone barrelling towards the island nation.

Cyclone Dahlia, the second cyclone to pummel Indonesia this month, comes hot on the heels of Cyclone Cempaka which has devastated the southern coast of Java.

The BMKG expects Dahlia to kick up powerful winds of up to 35 knots per hour, and drastically increase to 50 knots over the next 24 hours.

5.28pm: Desperate locals struggle to flee Mount Agung

Tens of thousands of people have already fled the Mount Agung danger zone, but there are still many left behind who cannot or will not flee.

One such local is 90-year-old Sepi, who told Sky News that she is simply too tired and ill to evacuate her home at the foot of the volcano.

"Because my grandma is too old, so I am really scared about it," her grandson Bukit said.

"I've already seen the mountain erupting, and there is smoke. There is also lava."

4.50pm: Mount Agung eruption 'could cool down Earth' experts warn

A major volcanic eruption on Bali could contribute to lower temperature around the globe and even slow the effects of climate change, Carina Fearnley said.

The volcanologist and science lecturer at UCL argued that vast emissions of toxic sulphur dioxide could interact with water in the atmosphere to scatter the sun's light.

She told the Evening Standard: “To have a meaningful impact on temperatures globally, the eruption would need to be on a huge scale. At the moment, it doesn’t look like we will see any drastic impact on global temperatures.”

“Locally we are likely to see some changes, though, but it is really limited to that. Changes of about 0.2 – 0.5 degrees of cooling are likely, if the eruption is sustained.”

4.43pm: Mount Agung continues to spew fumarole smoke

Plumes of thick smoke continue to rise from Mount Agung as officials urge locals to promptly evacuate the danger zone within an eight to 10km radius.

According to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the BNPB, the signs of imminent danger have calmed down today but the agency is still monitoring the volcano.

He reported visible plumes of white fumarole smoke around the summit, but no signs of flashing fire in the crater.

READ MORE: SUPERVOLCANO ERUPTION RISKS ARE CATASTROPHIC

4pm: Sebastian Kettley takes over live reporting.

2.13am: Volcanic ash spreading east from Mount Agung

Maps released by the Pacific Disaster Centre show that clouds of volcanic ash from Mount Agung are spreading east-southeast, adding further misery to those hoping to fly off the island. 

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesperson for Bali’s disaster mitigation agency, said the ash is being impacted by the Cempaka tropical cyclone, which is currenlty raging south of the island. 

12.13am: Bali refugees band together to build shelters

Pictures coming out of Bali show evacuees building temporary shelters as they seek to escape the threat of Mount Agung. 

Evacuation camps on the island have seen an influx of refugees in recent days following Mount Agung’s eruption on Saturday. 

Bali’s Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) report that the number of evacuees in Klungkung alone has increased by more than 1,500 people since Tuesday (November 28).

Officials are still working to move thousands more residents out of the volcano’s danger zone. 

10.56am: Bali residents speak of Mount Agung fear

Evacuated Balinese locals have spoken about the dangers of Mount Agung and their experiences living in the shadow of the deadly volcano. 

Ni Wayan Karya, who has fled to an evacuation centre on the island, is old enough to remember the last time Agung erupted in 1963. 

“I was a teenager and I remember what I saw,” she told Sky News.

“After the rain of rock, the lava flowed into the river until it reached the road. The fire kept crawling down.”

“Some of the villages burned, some of the cows burned.”

But some villagers are stuck inside the danger zone. 

One local, who goes by the name Bukit, lives in fear of another more violent eruption, but has to stay to look after his elderly grandmother.

He told Sky: “My grandma is too old so I am really scared about it [another eruption]. I have seen the mountain erupt already.”

10.32am: Agung spewing less ash but danger remains

The Head of Bali’s disaster mitigation agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho has said that Mount Agung is gradually releasing less volcanic ash this morning. 

He reported that there was no black or grey ash coming out of the volcano and that continuous seismic activity has reduced. Plumes of white steam are still visible.

However, experts have warned that the threat of eruption remains. 

Volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner tweeted: “This does not mean it is over. Fluctuations in activity are a normal part of the life of volcanoes.” 

10.04am: Thousands of villagers refuse to evacuate Mount Agung

Thousands of Balinese residents from the villages surrounding Mount Agung have refused to evacuate the volcano’s 8-10 kilometre exclusion zone.

Search and rescue teams venturing into the area report that some are refusing to leave their livestock unattended, while others are choosing to put their fate in the hands of the gods.

Gede Ardana, head of Bali's search and rescue agency told Reuters: "The government has been clear about evacuation orders, but some people are slow to act or want to stay.” 

"We cannot force them - but we will be held responsible, so we need to convince them.”

9.36am: Only 43,000 of 100,000 residents evacuate danger zone 

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, of the disaster mitigation agency, said about 43,000 people have taken shelter in evacuation camps, though officials were aiming to evacuate about 100,000 in total.

The evacuation zone in Bali now stretches up to 10 kilometres (six miles) around the volcano, after Mount Agung's alert was raised to the maximum level 4 last week. 

9am: Australian airline to operate on Friday

Jetstar and Qantas plan to operate 10 relief flights from Bali to Australia tomorrow (November 30) to take advantage of clearer skies. 

The budget airline said this morning: “Flying conditions around Denpasar Airport are expected to remain clear tomorrow. As a result, Jetstar and Qantas are planning to operate ten scheduled and eight relief flights from Bali to Australia.

“Customers who have been booked on to these flights will be contacted directly.

“Volcanic activity and ash cloud are unpredictable so flights may be cancelled at short notice.

“Our senior pilots will make further assessments tonight and tomorrow morning based on the latest information from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. We will provide customers an update if the situation changes.”

8.39am: Bali state of emergency extended

Bali governor Made Mangku Pastika has extended a state of emergency on the island until at least December 10 as it braces for another Mount Agung eruption.

8.12am: Bali airport reopens but tourists face backlog

One passenger, Keira Nolan, said she had been told the first available Jetstar flight to Perth was not until December 7.

Ms Nolan said: ”We're going to try and go to another airport — we're going to catch a bus and a ferry and another bus for 12 hours or something like that — hopefully it's a straight direct flight not a 12-hour flight."

7.46am: Lombok international airport closed due to volcanic ash

Lombok international airport – on Bali’s neighbouring island – has been forced to close due to the threat of volcanic ash, according to Indonesia’s ministry of tourism.

The ministry’s Twitter account tweeted: “Today (Nov 30) Lombok Praya International Airport is closed starting at 10.37 am until (Dec 1) 12 am local time due to volcanic ash.”

7.25am: Expert warns Agung activity “can get much worse”

Volcanologist Dr Janine Krippner has warned locals “won’t be able to outrun” lava spewing from the summit of Bali’s largest volcano.

Speaking to news.com.au, she likened the activity inside the volcano to “shaking up a bottle of Coke and then taking the lid off.”

She said: “This is an eruption, this is 100 per cent an eruption.

“Lava is coming out of the volcano, there’s definitely enough to cause trouble. This can get much worse, you can’t outrun this.”

BALI VOLCANO UPDATE: CLICK HERE FOR OLDER DEVELOPMENTS