SEOUL, Sept 14 — South Korean girl group Mamamoo has cancelled the Jakarta leg of its ongoing “4WARD” world tour, citing safety concerns stemming from Indonesia’s recent volcanic eruption.
The September 19 concert scheduled at NICE PIK 2 is not happening, the group’s agency, RBW, the girl group’s agency announced last Friday.
“Unpredictable conditions continue due to the overall situation caused by the recent volcanic activity in Indonesia, as well as strengthened local safety and security measures,” RBW said in a notice posted on Mamamoo’s social media account.
“After discussions with the local promoter, we decided to cancel the concert, placing the safety of the artists and audience members above all else,” it added.
Mount Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, began a sustained eruption on September 5, sending ash plumes as high as 15,000 metres in some areas and triggering the shutdown of eight airports across western Indonesia.
Eruptions have also been recorded at four other volcanoes across Indonesia around the same time — Mount Ibu in North Maluku, Mount Semeru in East Java, Mount Ili Lewotolok in East Nusa Tenggara and Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra.
The disruption has stranded more than 270,000 passengers and affected upwards of 340,000 travellers in total, so far with over 2,900 flights delayed, cancelled or diverted, according to Indonesia’s Chief Infrastructure Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Southeast Asia’s second-busiest, bore the brunt of the disruption, halting operations for several days before reopening on September 9 once wind carried the ash away from the vicinity.
Indonesia’s geology agency has warned that the volcano remains at Level III, or “Alert,” on its four-tier scale, with the risk of further eruptions still high.
Mamamoo is not the only South Korean act forced to cancel its Jakarta show at the last minute.
Former Big Bang member T.O.P also announced the cancellation of his “Pre-Studio” tour stop in Jakarta, which had been scheduled for the same date.
