Indonesia cancels flights at Jakarta airport as Anak Krakatau volcano erupts

Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted early Sunday, leading to the cancellation of all flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as volcanic ash spread across parts of western Indonesia. The Geological Agency reported the volcanic island, located between Java and Sumatra, showed signs of activity on Saturday and erupted for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. Sunday.

No casualties were reported, and no evacuation orders were issued. Residents and visitors were advised to stay at least 3 kilometers from the volcano's active crater. The airport announced a temporary suspension of flight operations between 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. due to the increased activity. Ash clouds were identified by Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, with one plume reaching 20,000 feet and the other up to 50,000 feet.

The latter cloud affected parts of Banten, Lampung, Bengkulu provinces, the southern Sunda Strait, and sections of the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra.