Mount Anak Krakatau Erupts, Spewing Incandescent Lava

Mount Anak Krakatau erupted on Saturday night, August 22, 2026, ejecting incandescent lava up to 200 meters above its summit in the Sunda Strait. This eruption differed from recent ash emissions, being classified as a strombolian event, which involves weak explosive activity.

According to Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari, head of the Volcano Working Team at the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), strombolian eruptions typically release incandescent lava, volcanic gases, and pyroclastic material. Mount Anak Krakatau, an active volcano in the Sunda Strait administratively part of South Lampung Regency, has shown increased activity since early June, including sulfur dioxide emissions, heat anomalies, and a rise in shallow earthquakes.

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This indicates that the process of releasing volcanic gas from the active crater is still ongoing intensively.

Recent monitoring indicates that the volcano's activity remains high and fluctuating, with a significant number of hybrid earthquakes, harmonic tremors, and emission earthquakes recorded. Visually, thick smoke continues to emanate from the crater, signaling ongoing volcanic gas release. Another eruption occurred earlier on Saturday, producing an ash column about 400 meters high.

Lana Saria, head of the Geological Agency, stated that the volcanic system remains active with a high probability of further eruptions. The alert level for Mount Anak Krakatau is currently at Level III. Residents and tourists are advised to avoid the area within a 3-kilometer radius of the active crater. Coastal communities in Banten and Lampung have also been cautioned against believing unconfirmed rumors of eruptions that could trigger tsunamis, and are urged to continue their daily activities while adhering to disaster management agency instructions.

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This shows that the volcanic system of Mount Anak Krakatau remains active with a high chance of more eruptions.