Indonesia plans cloud seeding after Anak Krakatau eruption

Anak Krakatau’s ash cloud disrupted air travel across Indonesia, forcing five airports, including Jakarta’s main airport, to suspend operations. More than 200 flights were canceled, including dozens of international services.

Thousands of stranded passengers received food, drinks and bus transport to hotels. The eruption occurred on Friday, and ash columns rose as high as 6 kilometers on the Java side and 15 kilometers on the Sumatra side, according to Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG.

Indonesia’s geological agency recorded continuing seismic activity caused by moving magma and warned that more eruptions could follow. Authorities canceled classes in some schools, while local fishermen stayed ashore. Ferry traffic through the Sunda Strait continued normally, with a 3-kilometer safety zone around the volcano.

The national disaster mitigation agency, BNPB, announced a cloud-seeding operation to speed the removal of ash from the atmosphere. “If the rainfall is strong enough, the volcanic ash disrupting our daily lives will be quickly washed away,” BNPB chief Suharyanto said. He also urged residents to wear protective masks and spend less time outdoors.

Anak Krakatau, or “Child of Krakatau,” stands in the strait between Java and Sumatra. Authorities had kept the volcano at an elevated alert level since July. Its 2018 eruption triggered a tsunami that killed more than 400 people.

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If the rainfall is strong enough, the volcanic ash disrupting our daily lives will be quickly washed away.