Anak Krakatau Eruption Cancels Jakarta Flights and Disrupts Airports

Anak Krakatau erupted before dawn on Sunday, forcing the cancellation of flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and disrupting air services at several other Indonesian airports.

Indonesia’s Geological Agency said the volcano had shown signs of activity since Friday before erupting for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. Closed-circuit camera footage showed lava flares. No casualties were reported, and authorities issued no evacuation order. The nearest settlement lies more than 16 kilometers from the volcano, while residents and visitors were told to stay at least 3 kilometers from the active crater.

Volcanic ash spread across parts of Jakarta and Lampung province on Sumatra’s southern tip. AirNav Indonesia closed airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta, as well as four other airports, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung. The disruption also affected Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and services at Medan.

By mid-afternoon, the closures had affected 516 flight movements. Operations at Soekarno-Hatta alone affected about 22,800 passengers, and the airport was ordered to remain closed until at least 5:30 p.m. Civil aviation officials said they were coordinating with airlines, airports, air navigation services and the meteorology agency. “Safety remains our top priority in every operational decision,” civil aviation director general Lukman F. Laisa said, warning that flight disruptions could spread through aircraft rotations, fleet availability and terminal capacity.

Satellite imagery identified two ash clouds. One rose to 20,000 feet and drifted northeast over Jakarta, Banten and West Java. A second reached 50,000 feet and spread over parts of Banten, Lampung and Bengkulu, the southern Sunda Strait and the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra. Geological Agency head Lana Saria said activity had intensified since July and that Sunday’s eruption was the strongest in the current unrest. Repeated eruptions indicate an ongoing supply of magma and volcanic gases, she said, although officials cannot predict whether a larger eruption will occur.

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Safety remains our top priority in every operational decision.