Indonesia airports reopen after Anak Krakatau ash, but Ili Lewotolok plume extends travel disruption

JAKARTA, Sept 9 — Volcanic ash from Mount Ili Lewotolok in East Nusa Tenggara is currently causing air travel disruptions in Indonesia, as the country reopened its airports after an earlier eruption from Anak Krakatau. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported the presence of ash from Ili Lewotolok, Dukono, and Ibu in North Maluku alongside the ash from Anak Krakatau across parts of the archipelago.

Ili Lewotolok's ash was observed at an altitude of up to 8,000 feet, moving northwest to north across various regions. Airports like Wunopito in Lewoleba temporarily closed on Tuesday due to the ash, extending the closure until early Thursday. All eight airports affected by Anak Krakatau's ash had reopened by Tuesday, with Soekarno-Hatta International Airport remaining operational.

The Indonesian Navy vessel KRI Lepu-861 found that Anak Krakatau's eruptive activity, including smoke and ash reaching up to 7,000 feet, persisted as of 10am on Wednesday.