Seven Indonesian Airports Remain Closed After Anak Krakatau Eruption

Volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel across Indonesia, leaving 170,000 passengers affected after authorities closed seven airports, including two serving Jakarta.

Ash from the volcano, which sits in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, spread over Jakarta and nearby areas after an eruption late Friday. Authorities extended the closure of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport until 6 p.m. Monday, along with six airports serving Jakarta and nearby provinces, including Lampung and West Java.

The Transport Ministry said 1,558 flights had been delayed at eight affected airports by Sunday. More than 900 of those flights involved Soekarno-Hatta. Ash detected in the airport's surrounding airspace forced the suspension of operations, sending passengers in search of alternative flights or requiring them to reschedule.

“We cannot ascertain when this will end due to the dynamic weather,” Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said. Henny Yensan, a 44-year-old businesswoman who had planned to travel home with her mother, said passengers were disappointed but remained calm because a natural disaster caused the disruption.

The eruption also affected daily life in Jakarta, where schools moved classes online on Monday. Some shipping operations were disrupted, while authorities urged vessels using the Sunda Strait to remain vigilant and barred ships from coming within 3 kilometers of the volcano. Eruptions on Saturday produced a lava fountain and booming sounds heard hundreds of kilometers away. Further eruptions followed on Sunday, with the latest reported at 8:23 p.m., and the monitoring agency said the chance of more activity remained high.

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We cannot ascertain when this will end due to the dynamic weather.