Indonesia, Nov. 3 -- Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) urged tourists and tour operators to obey safety restrictions around active volcanoes, warning that entering prohibited areas could prove fatal during eruptions.

Imam Catur Priambodo, head of PVMBG's Earthquake and Tsunami Geology Team, said volcanic areas could remain open to visitors as long as they followed safety recommendations and monitored volcanic activity.

"When a volcano's activity increases, we issue recommendations that the public must heed," he told reporters in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday during a geological-disaster mitigation outreach event.

PVMBG advisories define the distances considered safe for residents and ...