An eruption from Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of flights affected at Jakarta’s main international airport.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport announced that flight operations had been suspended until 9:30 a.m. local time on Sunday because of volcanic ash. The suspension extended an earlier closure that was expected to last until 5:30 a.m.
Indonesia’s transportation ministry said the disruption had affected 209 flights, including several international services.
Mount Anak Krakatau has been erupting since late Friday, with volcanic ash reaching the airport early Sunday, according to the ministry.
The country’s meteorological agency, BMKG, reported that ash had risen to about 20,000 feet (6,000 metres) on the Java side of the volcano, while a volcanic plume reached as high as 50,000 feet (15,000 metres) over the Sumatra side and parts of Banten province in Java.
Located between the islands of Java and Sumatra, Anak Krakatau sits within Indonesia’s volcanic belt, part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an area frequently affected by earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB, “urges the public to remain calm while increasing vigilance. In the event of ashfall, people are advised to wear masks and eye protection, reduce outdoor activities, cover water sources and exercise caution when driving, as volcanic ash can reduce visibility,” spokesperson Berton Panjaitan said.
Several schools reportedly cancelled activities on Saturday after students and residents experienced eye irritation caused by volcanic ash. Fishermen in affected areas also called off planned trips because of the eruption, local media reported.
The disaster mitigation agency said Saturday that there was no immediate threat of a tsunami from the volcano.
Anak Krakatau has a deadly history. In 2018, an eruption triggered a tsunami that killed hundreds of people and injured many others along the coasts of Java and Sumatra.
The volcano, whose name means “Child of Krakatau”, emerged about a century ago from the area once occupied by Krakatau, also known as Krakatoa.
The original volcano was destroyed during a massive eruption in 1883, which triggered a series of tsunamis that killed more than 36,000 people.
