Key Points
- Anak Krakatau eruption disrupts air travel; hundreds of flights cancelled
- Jakarta airport among six facilities suspended
- Volcanic ash reaches 50,000 feet
JAKARTA: Indonesia suspended operations at six airports on Sunday after Mount Anak Krakatau erupted, sending volcanic ash across parts of Java and Sumatra and disrupting hundreds of flights.
The eruption forced the temporary closure of Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the country’s busiest airport, after ash was detected in the airport area.
The suspension affected 301 flights, including 58 international services, according to airport operator Angkasa Pura.
The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, erupted for about 30 seconds early Sunday after showing increased activity.
Authorities said one ash plume reached about 50,000 feet (15,000 metres), with another rising to around 20,000 feet and drifting towards populated areas, according to The Korea Times.
The aviation disruption resulted from volcanic ash, which posed a serious hazard to aircraft, potentially damaging engines and reducing visibility.
Indonesia flight cancellations
Airlines have cancelled or suspended services to and from Jakarta, affecting international routes to destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul and Amsterdam, according to DIE WELT.
Indonesian authorities have also reported disruptions to schools and fishing activities as ash spread across parts of Banten and other areas. Officials advised residents to limit outdoor activities and use protective equipment where ashfall occurs.
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No casualties or evacuation orders had been reported. Authorities urged residents and visitors to remain at least three kilometres from Anak Krakatau’s active crater. The volcano has been at alert level three since July 2.
The eruption has revived concerns around Anak Krakatau, which emerged from the remnants of the historic Krakatau volcano.
A 2018 collapse of Anak Krakatau triggered a tsunami that killed more than 400 people along the coasts of Java and Sumatra.
Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is among the world’s most volcanically active countries, making ash-related disruptions to aviation a recurring risk.
Indonesia’s persistent volcanic threat
Indonesia is one of the world’s most volcanically active countries, with about 127 active volcanoes spread across its vast island chain.
Its exceptional volcanic activity is driven by its location along major tectonic boundaries, where the Indo-Australian, Eurasian and Pacific plates interact.
Much of the country’s volcanic belt forms a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region associated with frequent earthquakes and eruptions.
The concentration of volcanoes stretches from Sumatra and Java, through Bali and the Lesser Sunda Islands and into eastern Indonesia.
Indonesian authorities intensively monitor 69 active volcanoes, using a four-level alert system to track changes in seismic activity, gas emissions, lava movement and other signs of volcanic unrest, according to detikcom.
Volcanic eruptions are a recurring natural hazard for Indonesia’s densely populated communities. Recent activity has involved several major volcanoes.
Mount Semeru in East Java erupted on Sunday, prompting authorities to maintain exclusion zones because of the risk of hot ash clouds and lava flows.
Mount Sinabung on Sumatra also erupted on Aug. 31, prompting authorities to raise its alert level and restrict access around the crater.
Indonesia’s volcanic history includes some of the most destructive eruptions ever recorded. The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora was one of the largest explosive eruptions in recorded history, producing enormous ash deposits and widespread climatic effects.
The 1883 eruption of Krakatau generated massive explosions and tsunamis that killed more than 36,000 people. More recently, an eruption-related collapse of Anak Krakatau in 2018 triggered a tsunami that killed more than 400 people along the coasts of Java and Sumatra.
The latest Anak Krakatau eruption therefore highlights a persistent challenge for Indonesia: managing life and economic activity around one of the world’s most active volcanic environments.
