Indonesia shuts airports as volcano erupts

Early Sunday, the Indonesian island of Anak Krakatau erupted, causing the cancellation of flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and impacting other domestic airports. The volcanic activity, which had been observed since Friday, began with a 30-second eruption followed by a 16-second eruption three hours later, according to Indonesia's Geological Agency.

The eruption produced lava flares, but no casualties or evacuation orders were reported. Authorities advised residents and visitors to stay at least 3 kilometers away from the active crater.

Volcanic ash spread to parts of Jakarta and Lampung province on Sumatra's southern tip. AirNav Indonesia closed airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta, as well as six other airports, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung, due to the volcanic ash. This closure affected 170,000 passengers from 1,558 canceled flights, with 963 flights originating from Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport alone. All eight airports remained closed until 8:59 a.m. Monday.

Tourists expressed frustration with the disruption, citing it as a force majeure situation beyond their control. The Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation closely monitored the eruption's impact on air travel and coordinated with airlines, airport operators, air navigation services, and meteorologists. Safety remained the top priority, but flight schedules faced potential cascading disruptions due to the eruption.

Anak Krakatau's activity had increased since July, with Sunday's eruption being the strongest during that period. Officials cannot predict whether a larger eruption will occur, but they continue to evaluate the volcano's development based on monitoring data.

The eruption's impact extended beyond air travel, leading the government to authorize temporary school closures in affected areas. Schools could shift to online learning at home to minimize students' exposure to ashfall and allow local authorities to adapt classroom activities based on conditions.