Volcanic ash erupts from Mount Anak Krakatoa in Indonesia
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- Indonesia closes eight airports after Mount Anak Krakatoa sends ash clouds across the region.
- Over 1,558 flights are delayed or canceled, stranding around 170,000 passengers.
- Authorities impose a 3-kilometer maritime exclusion zone and shift Jakarta schools online.
About 170,000 passengers were left stranded on Sunday as Indonesian aviation authorities suspended operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and seven other regional airfields following a major eruption of Mount Anak Krakatoa.
The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait more than 150 kilometers from the capital, erupted on Saturday with loud, booming sounds heard hundreds of kilometers away.
Volcanologists recorded two additional explosive eruptions on Sunday, sending vast plumes of ash drifting directly into high-altitude flight corridors across Java and Sumatra.
After detecting particulate matter in regional airspace, the Ministry of Transportation ordered an extended operational shutdown until 8:59 AM Monday across eight facilities, including Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung and Radin Inten II Airport in Bandar Lampung.
"To date, 1,558 flights have been delayed at the eight affected airports, with 170,000 passengers stranded," the Ministry of Transportation stated. More than 900 of the canceled services were scheduled to depart from or arrive at Soekarno-Hatta.
Ash settles over cities
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed that alternative airports in central and eastern Java—including Semarang, Surabaya, and Kertajati—have been activated to accept diverted long-haul flights.
The sudden closures left thousands of international and domestic travelers scrambling to adjust their plans or seek refunds at overcrowded terminals. Meanwhile, fine volcanic ash drifted across southern Sumatra and parts of Java, blanketing roads and vehicles in Bandar Lampung.
In response to air quality concerns, Jakarta city officials announced that schools across the capital will move to online learning starting Monday.
Geology agency maintains exclusion zone
Geology Agency Head Lana Saria urged strict adherence to safety protocols, noting that fluid movement within the volcanic system makes predicting the exact timing or scale of subsequent eruptions impossible.
Maritime authorities issued warnings to ships traversing the Sunda Strait and strictly prohibited vessels from entering a 3-kilometer radius around the island.
However, officials clarified that the recent eruptions do not carry an immediate threat of triggering a tsunami, reassuring coastal communities still mindful of the catastrophic 2018 flank collapse that killed 429 people.
