JAKARTA: Two new islands have emerged in waters surrounding Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau following a major eruption last month, according to the country’s volcano monitoring agency.
Rita Susilawati of Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) told AFP on Friday that the formations had been identified in satellite images of the water-filled caldera where the volcano stands.
“Based on an evaluation of Sentinel satellite imagery, two formations resembling small islands can be seen around Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, she said.
🚨 INDONESIA 🇮🇩
A volcano in Indonesia has erupted sending a powerful plume of ash and smoke into the sky. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and assessing any potential impact on nearby communities🌋#Indonesia #Volcano #BreakingNews #NewsUpdate pic.twitter.com/YQwKaVSVGx
— Man of God (@ManofGod4h) September 9, 2026
Sentinel is a fleet of Earth-observation satellites developed by the European Space Agency.
One formation was located about 760 metres north-west of Mount Anak Krakatau, while the other was approximately 495 metres south-west of the volcano.
Islands Under Study
Susilawati said it was too early to describe the new formations as offspring of Anak Krakatau, whose name means “Child of Krakatau” in Indonesian.
The volcano itself emerged following an underwater eruption in the caldera left by the massive 1883 eruption of the original Krakatau volcano.
Deux nouvelles îles apparaissent près du volcan Anak Krakatau, en Indonésie 🇮🇩 suite à une série d’éruptions au début du mois de septembre. 🌋 pic.twitter.com/XfRhFo5PRG
— Benoit Martin (@benoitm_mtl) September 26, 2026
Further research is needed to establish whether the new formations are emerging from the caldera floor in a similar way to Anak Krakatau or have been created by deposits of volcanic material, Susilawati said.
Several landmasses appeared in the area from 1927 onwards before disappearing through erosion. A more permanent island eventually formed in 1930, she added.
The two newly identified formations could also be eroded away over time.
Major Eruption
Mount Anak Krakatau erupted continuously for 25 hours in September, spreading volcanic ash over nearby cities and forcing several airports to close.
The disruption left more than 300,000 passengers stranded.
Susilawati said the volcano remained at Alert Level 2, the second-lowest of Indonesia’s four alert categories. People have been advised to stay at least three kilometres from the eruption centre.
The eruption also prompted a search for a missing vessel carrying five journalists who had been travelling to cover the volcanic activity. The journalists and three boat crew members were declared presumed dead nearly two weeks after the vessel disappeared.
Volcanic Region
Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense volcanic and seismic activity where several tectonic plates meet.
The country is home to numerous active volcanoes and regularly experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The latest formations near Anak Krakatau will require further scientific assessment to determine their origin and whether they will remain above water.
