Thousands flee rumbling Mount Agung volcano

More than 34,000 people fled from a rumbling volcano on the resort island of Bali as the magnitude of tremors grows, prompting fears it could erupt for the first time in more than 50 years.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency said on Sunday the number of people fleeing their homes surrounding the volcano had tripled since Friday amid growing alarm that Mount Agung could erupt at any moment.

"The evacuation process is ongoing and we expect the number of evacuees to continue to rise," the agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP news agency.

The volcano, located about 75km from the tourist hub of Kuta, has been rumbling since August. Officials announced the highest possible alert level on late Friday following the increasing volcanic activities and urged people stay at least 9km away from the crater.