An eruption at Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia on Sunday led to the suspension of all flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and disrupted air travel at other local airports as volcanic ash spread across parts of western Indonesia.
The volcanic island, situated in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, had displayed signs of activity since Friday. The eruption, lasting 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. local time on Sunday and a subsequent 16-second eruption three hours later, was captured on closed-circuit camera footage showing lava flares.
No casualties were reported, and no evacuation orders were issued as the nearest settlement is over 16 kilometers away. However, authorities cautioned residents and visitors to stay at least three kilometers from the active crater.
Volcanic ash affected areas in Jakarta and Lampung province on Sumatra’s southern tip, according to Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
AirNav Indonesia shut down airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta, along with six other airports including Radin Inten II in Lampung due to the volcanic ash.
By Sunday evening, the closure of eight airports impacted 170,000 passengers from 1,558 canceled flights, with Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport alone accounting for 963 canceled flights. All eight airports remained closed until 8:59 a.m. on Monday.
Diego Urdiales, a Spanish tourist affected by the flight disruptions, expressed inconvenience at the situation. Indonesian passenger Michele Gouw acknowledged the natural disaster’s impact, stating acceptance and waiting for airline and airport directives.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation assured close monitoring of the eruption’s effects on air travel, collaborating with airlines, airport operators, air navigation services, and the meteorology agency. Lukman F. Laisa, director-general of civil aviation at the Ministry of Transportation, emphasized safety as the top priority in operational decisions.
The volcanic activity at Anak Krakatau prompted the identification of two ash clouds by Indonesia’s volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Australia. The ash clouds reached significant altitudes and spread over various provinces and bodies of water.
Officials noted increased activity at Anak Krakatau since July, with Sunday’s eruption being the most intense during that period. Monitoring continues to assess the volcano’s development based on various data, including volcanic ash, gas concentrations, and potential hazards around the crater area.
Anak Krakatau, meaning “child of Krakatau,” is the successor of the renowned Krakatau volcano. The 2018 eruption of Anak Krakatau triggered a tsunami, resulting in significant casualties and alterations to the island’s landscape. Scientists are cautious about potential future eruptions and their consequences.