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 domestic airports in western Indonesia due to volcanic ash spreading in the region.
The volcanic island, situated in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, had been displaying signs of activity since Friday. It erupted for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. local time on Sunday and again for 16 seconds about three hours later, as captured by closed-circuit camera footage showing lava flares.
Despite the eruption, there were no reported casualties or evacuation orders issued since the nearest settlement is over 16 kilometers away. However, authorities cautioned residents and visitors to maintain a safe distance of at least three kilometers from the active crater.
Volcanic ash from the eruption drifted over parts of Jakarta and Lampung province in southern Sumatra, leading AirNav Indonesia to close airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta, along with six other airports, including Radin Inten II airport in Lampung.
The closure of eight airports impacted approximately 170,000 passengers from 1,558 canceled flights by Sunday evening, with Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport alone accounting for 963 flights. These airports remained shut until 8:59 a.m. on Monday.
Diego Urdiales, a Spanish tourist, expressed inconvenience over the flight disruptions, while Indonesian passenger Michele Gouw acknowledged the situation as a natural disaster, urging everyone to comply with airline and airport directives.
Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation assured that safety remains a top priority amid the eruption’s impact on air travel by collaborating with various aviation stakeholders. Director General Lukman F. Laisa emphasized potential challenges to flight schedules due to ongoing volcanic activity.
The volcano, Anak Krakatau, continued to exhibit activity, with two ash clouds identified by Indonesia’s volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Australia. The eruption was deemed the strongest since July, indicating a significant supply of magma and volcanic gases beneath the volcano.
Officials warned of potential hazards, including volcanic ash, gas emissions, and ejecting hot materials around the crater area. Anak Krakatau, translating to “child of Krakatau,” is the successor of the renowned Krakatau volcano, whose massive 1883 eruption had global repercussions.
In 2018, an eruption at Anak Krakatau triggered a tsunami that claimed hundreds of lives in Sumatra and Java, underscoring the destructive potential of volcanic activities. Researchers attributed the tsunami to underwater landslides caused by volcanic activity, resulting in a substantial reduction in the island’s size.