Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau eruption halts flights, schools and fishing

Jakarta - Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted on Sunday, grounding numerous flights at the country's main international airport and disrupting daily activities, including school events and fishing trips. The suspension of flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, operated by the transportation ministry, lasted until 9:30 a.m. (0230 GMT), extending a previously scheduled 5:30 a.m. halt. The suspension affected 209 flights, including international routes.

Volcanic ash was detected at the airport early Sunday, reaching up to 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) on the Java side and up to 50,000 feet (15,000 meters) on the Sumatra side and parts of Banten province in Java. The meteorological agency BMKG reported the ash plume heights.

Anak Krakatau sits between Java and Sumatra within Indonesia's territory on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" - a region known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The disaster mitigation agency BNPB urged residents to remain calm and take precautions, such as wearing masks and eye protection, reducing outdoor activities, and being cautious while driving due to volcanic ash potentially lowering visibility.

Schools canceled activities on Saturday, while students and residents suffered eye irritation from the ash. Fishermen also halted their fishing trips because of the eruption. The disaster mitigation agency stated on Saturday that there was no immediate risk of a tsunami from the volcano. However, a 2018 tsunami caused by Anak Krakatau eruptions claimed hundreds of lives on Java and Sumatra.

Anak Krakatau, known as "child of Krakatau," emerged from the site of the 1883 Krakatoa volcano, which was destroyed in a massive eruption that killed over 36,000 people and triggered deadly tsunamis.