Two new islands appear in Indonesia after major Anak Krakatau eruption

Jakarta, October 2 — Two new islands have emerged in the waters surrounding Mount Anak Krakatau following a major eruption last month that grounded flights for several days, according to Rita Susilawati, head of Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency. The islands were spotted in satellite images of the water-filled caldera where Anak Krakatau stands, Rita told AFP.

“Based on an evaluation of Sentinel satellite imagery, two formations resembling small islands can be seen around Mount Anak Krakatau” in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, she added. The two islands were located approximately 760 meters northwest of the volcano and 495 meters southwest, respectively. Rita cautioned against referring to the new islands as "children" of Mount Anak Krakatau, emphasizing that the term "Anak" means "child" in Bahasa Indonesia.

Further research is needed to determine the origin of the new islands, whether they are emerging from the base of the caldera or from deposits of volcanic material. Similar to Anak Krakatau's emergence in 1927, these islands may eventually be eroded away over time. In September, Mount Anak Krakatau erupted continuously for 25 hours, blanketing cities in volcanic ash and causing multiple airports to close.

Over 300,000 passengers were left stranded, with more than 300,000 people affected. Anak Krakatau was placed at alert Level 2, the second-lowest of four danger categories, with an advisory to stay at least three kilometers away from the eruption center. The incident resulted in the presumed deaths of five journalists covering the eruption and a disappearance of a boat crew.

Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for high volcanic and seismic activity.