Volcano eruption triggers flight suspensions at Indonesia’s main airport

A volcanic eruption at Indonesia's main international airport, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, has halted hundreds of flights, stranding tens of thousands of passengers. The ash from Anak Krakatau was detected in the airspace near the airport on Sunday morning, leading to the suspension of 209 flights. The volcano had started erupting late on Friday night, causing continuous seismic activity, lava fountains, and booming sounds.

Two more eruptions occurred early on Sunday. Over 22,000 people have been affected by the flight suspensions, which are expected to continue until 13:30 (0630 GMT). The transport ministry noted that the majority of the cancellations affected flights to and from Singapore, as well as other international routes such as Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur.

There is no tsunami warning linked to the recent volcanic activity, which is located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.

The health minister has advised residents in the affected areas to stay indoors and wear face masks to protect against respiratory, eye, and skin risks. Several schools canceled activities on Saturday due to reports of eye irritation from the ash, while some fishermen also cancelled fishing trips, citing sore eyes. A resident in the area, Aldi Candra Prayogi, described the irritation as feeling like "small grains of sand" in his eyes and needing to use eye drops to alleviate the discomfort. He has had to sweep his front yard every five minutes due to the thick dust.

Anak Krakatau, also known as Child of Krakatoa, has been intermittently active since it emerged from the sea at the start of the last century in the caldera formed after the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa. The volcano collapsed in December 2018, causing a massive tsunami that killed over 400 people and displaced and injured thousands more on the coastlines of Sumatra and Java.

Scientists have discovered that some of the rock chunks that slid from the volcano during the collapse were 70-90 meters high. Indonesia is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for its high levels of volcanic and seismic activity due to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that circle the Pacific rim.