Jakarta: The eruption of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano forced the temporary suspension of operations at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday, affecting 209 flights and nearly 23,000 passengers as volcanic ash spread across parts of Java and Sumatra.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation said flight operations at the country’s busiest airport were halted for several hours after volcanic ash continued to be detected around the airport area.
According to aviation authorities, 209 flight movements and 22,798 passengers were affected during the closure, with domestic and international services disrupted. International routes affected included flights to and from destinations such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Doha and Amsterdam.
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The volcanic activity began late on Friday and intensified over the weekend, with ash reaching the Jakarta region during the early hours of Sunday.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said ash clouds were detected at heights of around 6,000 metres towards Java, while another plume rose as high as 15,000 metres towards Sumatra and parts of Banten province.
Several schools cancelled activities after students and residents reportedly experienced eye irritation from the ash, while some fishermen called off trips to sea because of the continuing volcanic activity.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency urged residents in affected areas to limit outdoor activities and use face masks and eye protection during ashfall. People were also advised to cover water sources and exercise caution while driving due to the possibility of reduced visibility.
Authorities have maintained Alert Level III for Anak Krakatau and prohibited residents, tourists and other visitors from entering an area within three kilometres of the volcano’s active crater.
Despite concerns surrounding the eruption, Indonesian authorities said there were no indications of an imminent tsunami threat linked to the current volcanic activity.
Anak Krakatau lies in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra. The volcano emerged from the remnants of Krakatau, whose catastrophic eruption in 1883 triggered massive tsunamis and killed more than 36,000 people.
The younger volcano has remained closely monitored, particularly after an eruption and partial collapse in 2018 generated a tsunami that struck coastal areas around the Sunda Strait.
