Dozens pray at Hindu temple on slopes of Bali volcano

Dozens pray at Hindu temple on slopes of Bali volcano | iNFOnews.ca
Bali Gov. Mangku Pastika, left in first row, prays with other Hindu worshipers during a ceremony at Besakih temple which is located few kilometers from the crater of Mount Agung volcano in Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. More than 140,000 people have fled from the surrounds of Mount Agung since authorities raised the volcano's alert status to the highest level on Sept. 22 after a sudden increase in tremors. It last erupted in 1963, killing more than 1,000 people. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)

KARANGASEM, Indonesia – Dozens prayed at a revered Hindu temple on the slopes of Bali’s menacing Mount Agung volcano, hoping the gods will restore it to calm.

Worshippers including Bali’s governor made offerings and recited prayers Thursday at the temple inside a zone declared off-limits by disaster officials.

Bali is the only predominantly Hindu province in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country.

Warnings that the volcano could erupt anytime have caused 140,000 people to flee for safer areas.

Bali’s religious leader Gusti Ngurah Sudiana said prayers were performed across the island by Hindus, Muslims and Christians.

Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said tremors from the volcano, which indicate rising magma, have remained at high levels since Agung’s alert status was raised to the highest on Sept. 22.

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