An eruption at the Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia led to the suspension of all flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and affected other local airports as volcanic ash dispersed over parts of western Indonesia.
The volcanic island situated in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, between the main Java and Sumatra islands, displayed signs of activity starting Friday before erupting for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. local time on Sunday and for 16 seconds approximately three hours later, as reported by Indonesia’s Geological Agency. Footage from closed-circuit cameras captured lava flares emanating from the volcano.
Although there were no reported casualties and no evacuation orders issued, authorities cautioned residents and visitors to maintain a distance of at least three kilometers from the active crater, with the nearest settlement located more than 16 kilometers away.
Volcanic ash spread across areas of Jakarta and Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra, according to Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
AirNav Indonesia enforced airspace closures around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta, along with six other airports including Radin Inten II airport in Lampung, due to the presence of volcanic ash.
The closure of eight airports impacted thousands of passengers, resulting in the cancellation of 1,558 flights and affecting 170,000 passengers by Sunday evening. A Spanish tourist and an Indonesian passenger expressed their acceptance of the situation caused by the natural disaster.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation assured close monitoring of the eruption’s impact on air travel and collaboration with relevant agencies and operators to ensure safety remains the top priority in operational decisions.
The Anak Krakatau volcano remains active, with two ash clouds identified by Indonesia’s volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Australia. The heightened activity at Anak Krakatau since July culminated in Sunday’s eruption being the most intense during this period, indicating a continuous supply of magma and volcanic gases.
Officials noted the potential hazards of volcanic ash, gas concentrations, and ejected materials around the crater area, emphasizing ongoing evaluations of the volcano’s development based on comprehensive monitoring data. Anak Krakatau, known as the “child of Krakatau,” resulted from the famous Krakatau eruption in 1883, which had global repercussions.
The eruption of Anak Krakatau in 2018 triggered a tsunami that claimed hundreds of lives in Sumatra and Java, attributed to volcanic activity causing an underwater landslide and significant land displacement. The island’s size was drastically reduced following the eruption, as researchers indicated.