An eruption at Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano on Sunday led to the suspension of all flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and disruptions at other local airports due to the spread of volcanic ash in western Indonesia.
Situated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, the volcanic island had been displaying signs of activity since Friday. The eruption occurred twice on Sunday, lasting for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. local time and for 16 seconds three hours later, as per Indonesia’s Geological Agency. Video footage from closed-circuit cameras captured lava flares from the volcano.
There were no reports of casualties, and no evacuation orders were issued as the nearest settlement was more than 16 kilometers away. However, authorities cautioned residents and tourists to stay at least three kilometers away from the active crater.
The volcanic ash extended over parts of Jakarta and Lampung province in the southern tip of Sumatra, according to Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
AirNav Indonesia implemented 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 volcanic ash impact.
The closure of eight airports affected around 170,000 passengers from 1,558 canceled flights by Sunday evening, with Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport accounting for 963 of the total cancellations. All eight airports remained shut until 8:59 a.m. on Monday.
Diego Urdiales, a Spanish traveler, expressed inconvenience over the flight disruptions, while Michele Gouw, an Indonesian passenger, acknowledged the situation as a natural disaster and urged acceptance while awaiting airline and airport guidance.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation assured close monitoring of the eruption’s effects on air travel, coordinating with various aviation stakeholders. Lukman F. Laisa, director general of civil aviation at the Ministry of Transportation, affirmed safety as the primary concern in operational decisions.
The volcano remained active, with Indonesia’s volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre identifying two ash clouds through satellite imagery. The eruption marked the strongest since July, indicating continued magma supply beneath Anak Krakatau, although the possibility of a larger eruption remains uncertain.
Lana Saria, head of Indonesia’s Geological Agency, emphasized the evaluation of all monitoring data to assess the volcano’s development and the potential hazards posed by volcanic ash, gas concentrations, and ejected materials in the crater vicinity.
Anak Krakatau, translating to “child of Krakatau,” emerged after the renowned Krakatau volcano’s 1883 eruption, which triggered a global cooling period. The 2018 eruption of Anak Krakatau resulted in a tsunami that claimed 430 lives in Sumatra and Java, attributed to volcanic activity causing an underwater landslide and significant land displacement on the island.