Indonesia cancels flights at Jakarta airport as Anak Krakatau volcano erupts

Jakarta, Indonesia (AP) - Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted early Sunday, resulting in the suspension of all flights at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport due to volcanic ash disrupting parts of western Indonesia. The Geological Agency reported that the volcanic island, situated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, exhibited signs of activity on Saturday before erupting for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. on Sunday.

While no injuries were reported, the agency cautioned residents and visitors to maintain a distance of at least 3 kilometers from the volcano's active crater. The agency identified two ash clouds via satellite imagery. The first cloud, ascending to 20,000 feet, drifted northeast, affecting parts of Jakarta, Banten, and West Java.

The second cloud, reaching 50,000 feet, moved westward and northwestward, covering areas of Banten, Lampung, Bengkulu provinces, and sections of the southern Sunda Strait and the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra. As a result, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport temporarily halted operations from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Passengers faced the challenge of requesting refunds and reclaiming checked baggage as the airport displayed an expanding list of canceled flights.

The explosion of Anak Krakatau caused a tsunami in 2018 that claimed at least 430 lives in Sumatra and Java.