Indonesia: Jakarta’s main airport extends closure after volcanic eruption

Jakarta’s main international airport and three other Indonesian airports will remain closed until Monday evening as Anak Krakatau continues to erupt, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of passengers.

The volcano, whose name means “child of Krakatau,” erupted on Saturday, sending out lava and producing explosions heard hundreds of kilometers away. The volcanology agency recorded further eruptions on Sunday and said the likelihood of another eruption remained high until Monday morning.

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With the increase in eruptive activity at Mount Anak Krakatoa, flights at several airports are suspended; passengers are advised to regularly monitor their flight status with their airline.

The agency warned that the danger came from incandescent rocks and heavy ashfall. Lava flows could pose an additional risk if the eruption resumed and continued. Angkasa Pura, the airport operator, urged passengers to check their flight status regularly with their airlines because flights at several airports had been suspended.

The closures include Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta’s outskirts and Halim Perdanakusuma, a smaller air base in the capital that handles both civilian and military flights. The Transport Ministry said 1,558 flights were delayed after air traffic was suspended at eight Indonesian airports, leaving 170,000 passengers stranded. More than 900 of the affected flights were traveling to or from Jakarta’s international airport.

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The threat from an eruption comes from the ejection of incandescent rocks accompanied by significant ashfall. Another potential risk comes from lava flows if the eruption resumes and continues.