Passengers left the airport after major volcano erupts at Bali

At least 59,000 travelers have been left affected and hundreds of flights delayed after a volcanic eruption on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Volcanic ashes from Mount Agung forced Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport to be closed for 24 hours, leading to the disruption of 445 flights. 

The airport is closed at least until 7am GMT (+7) on Tuesday, according to National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

All flights departing and arriving from the airport are canceled under "further notice."

Airlines avoid flying when volcanic ash is present because it can lead to significant damage in aircraft engines, leading to possible engine failure, clogging fuel and cooling systems, and hampering pilot visibility.