Volcanic eruption strands 170,000 travelers in Indonesia

About 170,000 passengers were left stranded in Indonesia after authorities closed eight airports because of ash from the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano.

Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport became the first to close on Sunday morning after volcanic ash was detected in nearby airspace. Indonesia’s Transport Ministry said 1,558 flights had been delayed. The airports were expected to remain closed until at least 9 a.m. local time on Monday.

Anak Krakatau began erupting late Friday evening. Since then, officials have recorded continuing seismic activity and lava fountains, while loud rumbling sounds have been heard in surrounding areas. Two more eruptions occurred early Sunday. Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said, “Safety is our priority.” He added that changing wind directions at different altitudes made it difficult to predict how long volcanic ash would disrupt air traffic.

The volcano stands in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. Its name means “Child of Krakatau.” It formed after the powerful 1883 Krakatau eruption and first rose above sea level in 1929. The 1883 disaster killed more than 36,000 people and caused much of the volcanic island to sink into the sea.

Anak Krakatau also caused a deadly disaster in 2018, when part of the volcano slid into the sea and triggered a tsunami that killed more than 400 people. Following the latest eruption, authorities plan to use cloud seeding to wash volcanic ash from the atmosphere and affected areas. In Bandar Lampung on Sumatra, municipal workers were told to spray water on major roads to reduce dust, while residents were urged to wear masks.

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Safety is our priority.