Anak Krakatau erupts as Prabowo urges public to stay calm and alert

President Prabowo Subianto has urged Indonesians to remain calm and vigilant as Mount Anak Krakatau’s eruption sends volcanic ash across several regions and forces the closure of a number of airports.

Through government communications chief Muhammad Qodari, Prabowo asked residents to rely on information from official agencies and follow recommended safety procedures. These include wearing a mask over the nose and mouth, protecting the eyes with safety glasses outdoors, closing doors and windows, covering clean-water storage, drinking enough water, and washing the hands and face after outdoor activity.

Qodari said the government was monitoring the eruption and treating public safety as its top priority. Information is being coordinated through the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency, the National Disaster Management Agency, and the ministries of transport and health.

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The President and the Government urge all residents to remain calm and vigilant while volcanic ash continues to fall.

He also warned people not to circulate unverified reports, including claims of a possible tsunami that did not come from official sources. Anak Krakatau experienced a major eruption from Friday night through Sunday, affecting areas of Lampung, Bengkulu, Banten, West Java and Jakarta.

According to the weather agency, ash moved along two main paths. One spread northeast to south, covering parts of Jakarta, Banten and West Java and nearby waters. The other moved southwest to northwest, covering parts of Banten, Lampung and Bengkulu, the southern Sunda Strait and the Indian Ocean west of Bengkulu, Lampung and Banten.

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We repeat, Bakom urges the public to refer only to official government information and not to pass on reports such as a potential tsunami that do not come from official sources.