About 170,000 passengers have been left stranded in Indonesia after an eruption from Anak Krakatau forced authorities to temporarily shut down operations at eight airports.
The eruption, which began late Friday, produced continuous seismic activity, lava fountains and loud booming sounds across areas surrounding the volcano.
Authorities reported two additional eruptions early Sunday.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was the first to suspend operations on Sunday morning after volcanic ash was detected in the airspace around the facility.
According to Indonesia’s Transport Ministry, 1,558 flights were delayed, while the affected airports were expected to remain closed until 9:00 a.m. local time on Monday.
The disruption has particularly affected flights to and from Singapore, while other international routes connecting Indonesia with Doha, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur have also been impacted.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the decision to close additional airports followed tests showing that volcanic ash had spread towards West Java.
He also urged airlines to accelerate ticket refunds for passengers affected by cancellations and ensure travellers with upcoming flights receive timely updates to prevent overcrowding at airports.
Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, said the ash cloud reached altitudes of about 20,000ft (6,000m) over Java, east of the volcano, and as high as 50,000ft (15,000m) west of the volcano towards the Sumatra side.
Authorities said there was no tsunami warning associated with the latest volcanic activity at Anak Krakatau, which lies in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.
The Health Ministry has advised residents in affected areas to remain indoors and use face masks to reduce exposure to the ash, which can cause respiratory, eye and skin irritation.
Several schools reportedly cancelled activities on Saturday after students and residents complained of eye irritation caused by the volcanic ash.
Some fishermen also called off trips after experiencing similar discomfort.
One resident, Aldi Candra Prayogi, described the experience to local newspaper Kompas, saying it felt like “small grains of sand had gotten into my eyes” and that he needed eye drops to relieve the irritation.
He added that the volcanic dust had become so thick that he had to sweep his home’s front yard every five minutes.
Anak Krakatau, meaning Child of Krakatoa, emerged from the sea in the early 20th century within the caldera created by the massive 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa.
The volcano has remained intermittently active since then.
In December 2018, part of Anak Krakatau collapsed into the sea, triggering a devastating tsunami that killed more than 400 people and displaced and injured thousands along the coasts of Java and Sumatra.
Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a 40,000km belt containing numerous volcanoes, earthquake zones and tectonic plates.
About 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes occur along the region, which is also home to roughly 75 per cent of the world’s active volcanoes.
