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Volcanic Ash from Anak Krakatau Grounds Flights, Strands 270,000 Travelers in Indonesia

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

An eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano has stranded approximately 270,000 passengers across Indonesia after more than 2,000 flights were grounded and several airports suspended operations for a second consecutive day. The volcano, situated about 150 kilometers from Jakarta, began erupting late Friday, producing lava fountains and spreading volcanic ash toward the capital and Lampung province. It remained seismically active throughout the weekend. Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and three other airports extended their closures until 6 p.m. local time on Monday after ash was detected in nearby airspace. Schools in the affected areas shifted to online classes, and some shipping activities were also disrupted. Long lines formed at departure halls in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Monday as stranded travelers sought refunds and information about rescheduled flights. Finna, a 46-year-old passenger who had planned to fly from Malang to Jakarta on Sunday morning, described chaotic scenes as flights were repeatedly delayed. She told BBC Indonesian that passengers were glued to flight information screens amid the uncertainty. Unable to wait any longer, she took two overnight intercity trains and arrived in Jakarta at 3 a.m. Monday. Jo Shaw, who was in Indonesia with the conservation group Save the Rhino International, said her team had canceled plans to camp at Ujung Kulon National Park in Java after authorities raised the volcano's alert level. She said being stuck at an airport hotel was a minor inconvenience compared to concerns about field teams working near the rhinos amid the volcanic conditions. A newlywed Malaysian couple who had spent a week in Bali said they were informed their next available flight to Kuala Lumpur would not be until September 11. Amir Hamzah, 29, told Malaysia's Bernama news agency that he and his wife had only budgeted enough money for their honeymoon and had expected to fly home Sunday. Indonesia's Geological Agency said Monday that the likelihood of further eruptions remains high. According to the country's meteorological agency, BMKG, volcanic ash reached heights of 6,000 meters on the Java side of the volcano and 15,000 meters on the Sumatra side, with ash also detected in parts of Banten province. The most recent eruption was recorded at 8:23 p.m. Sunday. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said it was impossible to predict when the disruptions would end due to changing weather conditions, adding that authorities were testing air quality near airports every 30 minutes to monitor the ash spread. Authorities have prohibited activity within three kilometers of the volcano's crater and barred ships from entering a similar exclusion zone in the Sunda Strait. Officials confirmed there is no tsunami warning associated with the current volcanic activity. Anak Krakatau, meaning "Child of Krakatoa," emerged from the sea in the early 20th century within the caldera formed by the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa and has been intermittently active since. In December 2018, a partial collapse of the volcano triggered a tsunami that killed more than 400 people and injured or displaced thousands along the coastlines of Java and Sumatra. Researchers later found that some rock fragments dislodged during that collapse measured 70 to 90 meters in height. The volcano lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a 40,000-kilometer belt of volcanic and seismic activity stretching from South America to New Zealand, home to roughly 90% of the world's earthquakes and 75% of its active volcanoes, totaling 452 in number.