By Dwayne Ferreira.
Anak Krakatau eruption strands around 270,000 passengers as volcanic ash grounds more than 2,000 flights and keeps Indonesian airports closed.
JAKARTA – Around 270,000 passengers have been stranded across Indonesia after the eruption of Anak Krakatau forced the cancellation of more than 2,000 flights and prompted authorities to extend airport closures.
Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, began erupting late on Friday, sending lava fountains into the air and spreading volcanic ash across surrounding areas.
The volcano remained seismically active throughout the weekend, with Indonesian authorities warning that further eruptions remain possible.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and three other airports extended their closures until 6 p.m. local time on Monday after volcanic ash was detected in surrounding airspace.
The disruption has caused major congestion at terminals as passengers attempt to rearrange flights, obtain refunds or find alternative ways to travel.
More than 2,000 flights grounded
More than 2,000 flights have been affected by the eruption, leaving approximately 270,000 passengers stranded throughout the country.
Large queues formed at Soekarno-Hatta as travellers waited for information on when operations could safely resume.
Indonesia’s meteorological agency said volcanic ash had reached approximately 6,000 metres on the Java side of the volcano and as high as 15,000 metres towards Sumatra and parts of Banten province.
Volcanic ash presents a serious hazard to aircraft because particles can damage engines, windscreens and other critical components.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said authorities were repeatedly testing conditions around the affected airports to determine whether the ash cloud was spreading or beginning to clear.
He said changing weather conditions made it difficult to predict exactly when normal flight operations could resume.
Schools and shipping also affected
The eruption has disrupted more than aviation.
Schools in affected areas have moved classes online, while some shipping operations around the Sunda Strait have also been affected.
Authorities have prohibited people from approaching within three kilometres of Anak Krakatau’s active crater. Ships travelling through nearby waters have also been instructed to remain outside the exclusion zone.
Indonesia’s Geological Agency warned on Monday that the probability of further eruptions remained high.
Anak Krakatau, whose name means “Child of Krakatoa”, emerged following the catastrophic 1883 eruption of Krakatoa.
The volcano remains one of Indonesia’s most closely monitored active volcanoes. In December 2018, part of Anak Krakatau collapsed during an eruption and triggered a tsunami in the Sunda Strait that killed more than 400 people.
Authorities are continuing to monitor volcanic activity and ash movement before deciding when airports can safely reopen.
