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🇰🇷 South Korea /Disasters & Emergencies

Indonesia Shrouded in Black Smoke as Drought Fuels Wildfires and a Volcano Erupts

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The eruption of Anak Krakatau in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait compounded more than two months of wildfires, disrupting air travel and spreading haze to neighboring countries.
  • Authorities said about 3,000 flights were canceled, diverted or delayed, 341,000 travelers were affected, and seven airports remained closed.
  • Drought linked to a strong El Niño has burned about 200,000 hectares this year, while officials warn that volcanic activity and fires remain serious threats.

Indonesia is being hit by two disasters at once: wildfires that have burned for more than two months and the eruption of Anak Krakatau, which sent black smoke and ash into the sky on Aug. 4. The combined damage has spread beyond the country, with Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei reporting the effects of haze.

Indonesia’s Infrastructure Ministry said the eruption disrupted about 3,000 flights through cancellations, diversions and delays, affecting 341,000 travelers. Seven airports, including Jakarta International Airport, had remained closed as of Aug. 7. Indonesia’s Geological Agency said the eruption ended on Aug. 6, but warned that “the possibility of further volcanic eruptions remains high.”

The possibility of further volcanic eruptions remains high.

· Indonesia’s Geological AgencyThe agency warned that volcanic activity could continue after saying the eruption had ended.

The Sunda Strait lies between Java and Sumatra, about 150 kilometers from the densely populated capital, Jakarta. The city has been covered by dark smoke, and residents remain concerned that volcanic ash could reach the capital. Schools have moved classes online, while authorities have advised people to wear masks outdoors. Anak Krakatau also erupted in 2018, killing at least 430 people.

The fires are expected to peak in September. Significant rainfall may not return until early October.

· Raja Juli AntoniIndonesia’s forestry minister forecast the likely timing of the fire season and rains.

The fires have been intensified by severe drought, the dry season and a strong El Niño that has raised sea-surface temperatures and contributed to unusual weather. A blaze that began with a small spark in East Java’s Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park last month burned 900 hectares. The Forestry Ministry said fires destroyed about 200,000 hectares from January through July, including 94,539 hectares in July alone. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the fires could peak in September, with significant rainfall not expected to return until early October.

Some fires may have been deliberately set to clear farmland. Police have arrested 72 suspected arsonists in Borneo and Sumatra. President Prabowo Subianto said the government would sharply increase funding to respond to fires and volcanic eruptions, calling them “our fate as a country located on the Ring of Fire.” In Palembang, about 3,000 Muslims held a prayer gathering for rain as smoke and drought continued to disrupt daily life.

Our fate as a country located on the Ring of Fire.

· Prabowo SubiantoThe president used the phrase while announcing increased funding to respond to fires and volcanic eruptions.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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