- Eruption has affected 467 flights with 58 international and 409 domestic services suspended
- Eight airports closed including Jakarta’s primary international gateway Soekarno-Hatta
- Ash cloud reached 50,000 feet altitude affecting major international air routes
- No tsunami warning issued and no general evacuation orders for nearby settlements
- Health authorities advise mask-wearing in ashfall-affected areas including Jakarta
Mount Anak Krakatau has erupted with sustained intensity since Friday evening, forcing the closure of eight Indonesian airports and leaving more than 150,000 passengers stranded across the archipelago. The volcanic activity has intensified with multiple major blasts occurring early Sunday morning, sending volcanic ash plumes to altitudes reaching 50,000 feet (15,000 metres) according to the Indonesian meteorological agency BMKG. Aviation authorities have suspended operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, and Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung province, with alternative landing facilities prepared in Semarang and Surabaya.
The eruption has disrupted 467 flights, comprising 58 international and 409 domestic services, with the ash cloud drifting eastward over Java and westward toward Sumatra. Passengers face significant disruption while seeking alternative travel options, with airlines instructed to expedite ticket refunds and establish clear communication lines to manage overcrowding at terminal facilities. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has directed airlines to maintain transparent communication with affected passengers, while the health ministry advises residents in areas experiencing ashfall, including parts of Jakarta, to wear face masks and remain indoors to prevent respiratory complications.
The volcanic island of Anak Krakatau, situated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, demonstrated increased seismic activity prior to Friday’s eruption sequence. The exclusion zone of 3 kilometres around the crater remains in effect, though no general evacuation orders have been issued for nearby settlements, with the closest community located 16 kilometres from the volcano. Authorities have confirmed that no tsunami warning currently accompanies this volcanic activity, though the ash cloud continues to affect airspace over major transit corridors connecting Indonesia to Singapore, Doha, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.
