Indonesia: Ash plume soars 50,000 feet as Krakatau volcano explodes; flights hit

Indonesia has suspended hundreds of flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport following the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, sending ash plumes up to 50,000 feet high. The eruption, which occurred around 3:53am on Sunday, disrupted 209 flights, including several international services. The airport initially suspended operations from 5:30am to 9:30am, with the suspension later extended due to ongoing volcanic ash.

Passengers sought refunds and reclaimed checked baggage as departure boards displayed cancellation notices. The volcanic ash has spread across parts of Jakarta and Lampung province, with satellite observations indicating ash levels of up to 50,000 feet on the Sumatra side and over parts of Banten province. No casualties have been reported, but the nearest settlement is over 16 kilometres from the volcano.

Authorities have urged the public to remain calm, wear masks and eye protection, and avoid outdoor activity while driving due to the reduced visibility caused by the ash.

Brief written by urgent.news from Times of India's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.