Indonesia Keeps Airports Shut as Anak Krakatau Eruption Eases

Indonesia maintained closures at several airports and shifted schools to remote learning on Monday, even as the volcanic eruption that disrupted air travel showed signs of easing. The Anak Krakatau volcano, which erupted continuously for 25 hours, halted around 2,300 flights and left a layer of ash over parts of the country.

The Geological Agency reported that the intense phase of the eruption ended on Sunday, but the volcano remained active on Monday with moderate, intermittent eruptions, dark ash emissions, and small, localized earthquakes. Weather conditions were obscuring visual observations of the volcano.

AirNav Indonesia detected volcanic ash in the airspace around Jakarta and other cities, leading to the closure of eight airports until 6 p.m. Monday. The affected airports include Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma international airports, Husein Sastranegara in West Java, and Radin Inten in Lampung on Sumatra's southern tip. The disruption has impacted approximately 268,539 passengers at the four airports managed by state-owned operator InJourney Airports.

The eruption's impact extended beyond aviation. Authorities authorized schools in Jakarta, West Java, Banten, and Lampung to temporarily shift to online learning to protect students from ash exposure.

Lana Saria, head of the Geology Agency, warned that the probability of additional eruptions in the coming days remains high. She noted that main hazards include volcanic bombs, heavy ashfall, and potential lava flows if sustained eruptive activity resumes.

Anak Krakatau, whose name means "child of Krakatau," is a volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. It is the offspring of the infamous Krakatau, whose 1883 eruption caused global cooling. A 2018 eruption of Anak Krakatau triggered a tsunami that killed at least 430 people, after volcanic activity caused part of the volcano's slope to collapse and displace water.

Indonesia, home to more than 120 active volcanoes, frequently experiences eruptions due to its position along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a zone of seismic faults where most global seismic activity occurs.