Up to 150,000 people have been urged to evacuate areas within a 10 kilometre radius of Bali's Mount Agung as authorities fear its lava could reach 22 surrounding communities.
A danger zone was expanded Monday morning amid issuing of the volcano's highest alert, with heavy rain sending ash and magma towards nearby villages.
As authorities attempt to urge people to evacuate, only 40,000 have chosen to leave with many 'feeling safe' or staying to protect livestock, Bloomberg reports.
Almost 60,000 travelers were left stranded after 445 flights were cancelled, most left waiting 24 hours to see if Denpasar Airport will reopen.
Authorities imposed a 10km exclusion zone around the volcano which has been hurling ash thousands of metres into the atmosphere since the weekend.
Maureen Steele and Jackie Calabretta were scheduled to fly on a Garuda Indonesia flight from Sydney via Bali to Jakarta on Monday for an orangutan tour.