Indonesian authorities suspended flight operations at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday morning following a significant eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano. The volcanic activity sent plumes of ash into the sky, creating hazardous conditions for air traffic in the region.
According to Indonesia’s geological agency, the eruption produced a lava fountain and loud reports audible up to 700 kilometers away. Ash clouds were detected reaching altitudes of 6,000 meters on the Java side and up to 15,000 meters on the Sumatra side. The ash dispersion was confirmed across parts of the capital, Jakarta, and Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport announced via Instagram that flight operations were halted between 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. local time. The Indonesian Ministry of Transport reported that the disruption impacted more than 22,000 passengers, with 209 flights affected, including many traveling to and from Singapore.
Volcanologists recorded two additional eruptions on Sunday, prompting warnings from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation. Although the nearest township is located more than 16 kilometers from the site, officials urged residents and visitors to maintain a safe distance of at least 3 kilometers from the active crater.
No casualties or evacuations have been reported thus far. Anak Krakatau, often referred to as the “Child of Krakatau,” is situated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. The volcano is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone prone to frequent earthquakes and eruptions. It is the remnant of the original Krakatau volcano, which suffered a catastrophic eruption in 1883 that triggered global climate anomalies.
Another eruption in the Ring of Fire. Nature is powerful and unpredictable. Stay safe Indonesia.
Hope everyone is okay! 200 flights delayed is massive. Ash clouds are no joke for jet engines.