Eight Indonesian airports remain shut as flights cancelled due to volcanic eruptions

Eight Indonesian airports, including two in Jakarta, remained shut on Monday due to volcanic ash from eruptions at Mount Anak Krakatau, according to the transport minister. The ash from Anak Krakatau, located between Java and Sumatra islands, has blanketed Jakarta and surrounding areas since a late Friday eruption, prompting airport closures for safety.

The transport ministry reported that 170,000 people have been impacted by flight cancellations. Jakarta's main airport will remain closed until 6 pm local time (1100 GMT), with operators unsure when it will reopen due to changing weather conditions. Seven other airports, serving nearby provinces of Lampung and West Java, will stay closed until at least 08:59 am.

The volcano monitoring agency indicated the likelihood of further eruptions remains high. Recent eruptions occurred on Sunday at 8:23 pm. Meteorological agency BMKG reported ash reaching up to 20,000 feet (6,000 metres) on the Java side and 50,000 feet (15,000 metres) on the Sumatra side of the volcano, with some parts of Banten province in Java also affected.

On Sunday, the disaster agency advised people to wear masks when outdoors to avoid inhaling the ash. Schools in Jakarta and Lampung are conducting remote learning to mitigate health risks for students. Indonesia is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Anak Krakatau, meaning "child of Krakatau," emerged a century ago from the area previously occupied by Krakatau, also known as Krakatoa. The older volcano erupted catastrophically in 1883, causing over 36,000 deaths through tsunamis.