An eruption of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano on Sunday caused widespread flight cancellations, stranding approximately 170,000 passengers as volcanic ash drifted across western parts of the country. Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was among those affected.
The volcanic island, situated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, had shown intermittent signs of activity since Friday. Sunday's eruption lasted 30 seconds, followed by a 16-second eruption about three hours later, according to Indonesia's Geological Agency. Closed-circuit camera footage captured lava flares from the volcano.
Authorities reported no casualties and issued no evacuation orders. However, residents and visitors were advised to maintain a minimum distance of 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the active crater, as the nearest settlement is over 16 kilometers (10 miles) away.
Volcanic ash spread over parts of Jakarta and the Lampung province on Sumatra's southern tip, prompting the closure of eight airports, including Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma in Jakarta, and Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung. The closures, initially set until Monday morning, impacted an estimated 170,000 passengers and led to 1,558 canceled flights, with Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta alone accounting for 963 cancellations.
The disruption extended to other major airports, including I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali and services in Medan. AirNav Indonesia coordinated with airlines, airport operators, and meteorological agencies to monitor the situation and prioritize safety.
Satellite imagery identified two distinct ash clouds. One plume reached an altitude of 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) and drifted northeast over Jakarta and surrounding regions. A second, more extensive cloud rose to 50,000 feet (15,200 meters) and spread over several provinces and parts of the Indian Ocean.
Officials noted that activity at Anak Krakatau has intensified since July, with Sunday's eruption being the most powerful during that period. The agency stated that repeated eruptions suggest a continuous supply of magma and volcanic gases but could not predict if a larger event would occur. Key hazards include ash, high gas concentrations, and the ejection of hot rocks.
The eruption's impact also affected educational institutions, with schools in ash-affected areas authorized to temporarily shift to online learning to minimize student exposure. Anak Krakatau, meaning "child of Krakatau," is geographically linked to the historically significant Krakatau volcano, whose 1883 eruption led to global cooling. A previous eruption of Anak Krakatau in 2018 caused a tsunami that resulted in over 430 fatalities.