An eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau has led to the suspension of flights at eight Indonesian airports, stranding approximately 170,000 passengers and canceling over 1,500 flights. The volcanic ash plume from the erupting volcano disrupted operations across the country, with Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport being particularly affected.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport grounded all aircraft until at least 8:59 a.m. local time on Monday. The transportation ministry reported that the suspensions, which have been extended multiple times, impacted 964 flights at this single airport. Major airlines including Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, and Lion Air Group canceled flights to and from Jakarta for the remainder of Sunday.
Mount Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island that emerged from the caldera of the 1883 Krakatau explosion, has been erupting since late Friday. Volcanic ash was detected at airports early Sunday, with the ash cloud reaching altitudes of 20,000 feet on the Java side and 50,000 feet on the Sumatra side, according to the meteorological agency BMKG. Some parts of Banten province in Java also reported ashfall.
Passengers expressed frustration over the cancellations. Ersy Laksita Rini, 55, stated she was not informed about her flight's cancellation to Surabaya until she arrived at the airport. "If the eruption happened last night and there were predictions of flight cancellations, we should have been notified from the start," she said, adding that earlier notification would have allowed passengers to seek alternatives.
The airport operator has been providing food, refreshments, and bus transportation to hotels for affected passengers in coordination with airlines. The disaster mitigation agency BNPB announced plans for a weather modification operation, including cloud-seeding, to promote rainfall, which they believe could help wash away the volcanic ash.
As alternatives for diverted flights, the transport ministry identified Kertajati, Ahmad Yani, and Juanda airports on Java. BNPB spokesperson Berton Panjaitan urged the public to remain calm but vigilant, advising the use of masks and eye protection in the event of ashfall, to reduce outdoor activities, cover water sources, and exercise caution when driving due to reduced visibility.
Ferries in the Sunda Strait are operating normally, but vessels are advised to maintain a distance of at least 3 kilometers from Anak Krakatau's crater and remain aware of hazards including ash. Local reports indicate that some schools canceled activities and fishermen postponed trips due to eye irritations from ashfall and reduced visibility. Police distributed masks in Cianjur, West Java, where volcanic ash was reported, and residents were advised to stay indoors. Governors of Lampung and Jakarta have mandated remote learning for students starting Monday to mitigate health risks associated with volcanic ash.
Meanwhile, Mount Semeru in East Java also erupted on Sunday, sending an ash column 1 kilometer above its summit. Residents near Semeru were advised to stay at least 5 kilometers from the crater due to the risk of hot ash clouds and lava flows. Indonesia, situated on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire,' experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Mount Anak Krakatau has been at alert level 3, the second-highest, since July 2, as have several other volcanoes in the region.
The disaster mitigation agency stated there is no immediate tsunami risk from Anak Krakatau. A tsunami in 2018 linked to the volcano's eruptions resulted in over 400 fatalities on Java and Sumatra. The original Krakatoa volcano's massive 1883 eruptions killed more than 36,000 people through a series of tsunamis.
