Indonesia's main airport suspends operations after volcanic eruption

Indonesia's primary international airport, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, outside Jakarta, halted its operations on Sunday following a volcanic eruption from Anak Krakatoa, a nearby volcano. The ash expelled from the volcano, situated 150 kilometers away, affected thousands of passengers. Mount Anak Krakatoa erupted on Saturday, generating a lava fountain visible up to 700 kilometers away.

Two additional eruptions were observed on Sunday, prompting authorities to suspend airport operations starting at 01:30 am local time on Sunday. Further tests confirmed the presence of volcanic ash in the airport vicinity, leading to the extension of the suspension until 09:30 am. The transport ministry reported that over 22,000 passengers were affected, along with 209 flights, primarily to and from Singapore.

Other international routes impacted include services to Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur, while domestic flights to Bali were also canceled. Anak Krakatoa, located between Java and Sumatra, is known for its frequent activity since surfacing from the sea in the 1883 Krakatoa eruption, which remains one of the deadliest in history, claiming around 35,000 lives.

Indonesia, an archipelago nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, continues to monitor and manage volcanic hazards, including the exclusion zone of 3 kilometers around Anak Krakatoa.