Anak Krakatau Eruption Does Not Threaten to Trigger a Tsunami Like 2018, Geological Agency Says

Indonesia’s Geological Agency says the current eruption of Anak Krakatau does not carry the same tsunami risk as the volcano’s activity in 2018. The assessment is based on recent evaluations of the volcano’s activity and changing shape.

The Sunda Strait tsunami on Dec. 22, 2018, occurred mainly when a large part of Anak Krakatau collapsed into the sea, Geological Agency chief Lana Saria said. The present situation is different, she said. “Not every eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau will trigger a tsunami,” Lana said at a news conference on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026.

Much of the volcano’s body on one side collapsed during the 2018 event. Anak Krakatau has since grown and changed shape through subsequent eruptions, but recent mapping found no significant change in the basic structure of the volcano or its main crater compared with earlier surveys.

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Not every eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau will trigger a tsunami.

Lana said the portion that has regrown since the Dec. 22, 2018, eruption remains relatively small. “The regrown body of Mount Anak Krakatau after the Dec. 22, 2018 eruption is still relatively small and is not at risk of collapsing on a scale that could trigger a tsunami,” she said.

The agency continues to monitor the volcano’s activity and morphology closely. Anak Krakatau’s activity increased from July 2026, and its status rose from Level II, or Alert, to Level III, or Standby, on July 2. The highest activity was recorded on Sept. 5, following a continuous eruption late on Sept. 4 accompanied by lava fountains, rumbling and explosions. Authorities have told residents and tourists not to enter the area within three kilometers of the center of activity and to follow official updates.

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The regrown body of Mount Anak Krakatau after the Dec. 22, 2018 eruption is still relatively small and is not at risk of collapsing on a scale that could trigger a tsunami.