Low risk of Anak Krakatau volcanic ash reaching Malaysia, says MetMalaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip has stated that the risk of volcanic ash from Indonesia's Mount Anak Krakatau reaching Malaysia is currently low. According to Hisham, shifting wind patterns and potential future eruptions could influence the movement of the ash, but current risk levels remain minimal.

The ash is presently concentrated around the Sunda Strait and nearby areas in Indonesia. MetMalaysia will continue to monitor the situation using satellite data and atmospheric analysis, and will notify the public promptly should any potential ash movement into Malaysian airspace be detected through global Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) information.

The primary threat should the ash reach Malaysia would be disruptions to domestic and international flight operations, as the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) monitors volcanic eruptions. Hisham clarified that the currently low visibility in parts of Sarawak and the western peninsula is not due to volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau, but rather transboundary haze.