The eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano during the early hours of this Sunday forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights and caused disruptions at various airports in Indonesia.
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According to the Geological Agency of the country, the volcano had shown signs of increased activity since Friday and recorded an eruption lasting about 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. on Sunday. Surveillance camera footage captured the expulsion of lava from the crater.
So far, no victims have been reported nor have evacuations been ordered. However, authorities established a safety perimeter and requested residents and visitors to maintain a minimum distance of three kilometers from the active crater.
Volcanic ash reached areas of Jakarta and the province of Lampung, leading AirNav Indonesia to temporarily close the airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports, as well as four other terminals.
By Sunday afternoon, the restrictions had affected 516 air movements, of which 202 corresponded to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. In total, about 22,800 passengers were affected by cancellations and delays.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported that it maintains permanent monitoring of the ash cloud’s evolution and coordination with airlines, airport operators, and meteorological agencies.
“Safety remains our top priority in every operational decision,” said the Director General of Civil Aviation, Lukman F. Laisa. He also warned that disruptions could cause chain effects on aircraft availability and terminal capacity.
Volcanic activity also caused disruptions at Bali and Medan airports.
Indonesia’s volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center detected two extensive clouds from Anak Krakatau via satellite images.
One reached a height close to 6,100 meters and moved northeast, covering areas of Jakarta, Banten, and West Java.
The second reached about 15,200 meters and advanced west and northwest, affecting sectors of Lampung and Bengkulu, as well as the Sunda Strait and areas of the Indian Ocean.
The head of Indonesia’s Geological Agency, Lana Saria, explained that the volcano’s activity has intensified since July and described this Sunday’s episode as the largest magnitude recorded during the current period of instability.
“We continue to evaluate the volcano’s development based on all monitoring data, not only on the number of eruptions or the height of the ash column,” she said.
Among the main risks, authorities identified ash fall, high concentrations of gases, and the expulsion of hot rocks and other materials near the crater.
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