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Everyone was left shaken by
nature's terrifying display of fury. A chilling, close-up view of the Anak
Krakatoa volcano—located in Indonesia's Sunda Strait—is going viral. Continuous
eruptions, fountains of lava, and the sounds of thunderous blasts are echoing
across the surrounding areas. According to officials, the volcano has been
active since July. Continuous eruptions had been occurring since late Friday
night; during a sustained eruptive phase lasting nearly 25 hours, plumes of ash
soared to heights of 15,000 meters (approximately 50,000 feet). Ash clouds
spread up to 6,000 meters towards Java, while reaching even greater altitudes
towards Sumatra and parts of Banten province. Following the eruption on Sunday,
earthquake-like conditions prevailed in the surrounding regions, accompanied by
persistent lava fountains and loud, explosive blasts.Major impact on air services:
As a precautionary measure,
flight operations were temporarily suspended at eight airports. Jakarta's
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was the first to close on Sunday morning
after volcanic ash was detected in the airspace; airports in Bandung, Lampung,
and other locations were also affected. Reports indicate that anywhere from
several hundred to over 2,300 flights were cancelled or disrupted, affecting
between 170,000 and 270,000 passengers. International flights to destinations
such as Singapore, Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur were also cancelled.
Authorities have directed airlines to promptly arrange refunds and alternative
travel options for passengers. There have been no reports of casualties.
Anak Krakatoa is the
second-highest alert level (Level III) volcano in Indonesia. An eruption of
this volcano in 2018 triggered a tsunami that claimed the lives of
approximately 430 people. While there is no immediate threat of a tsunami under
current conditions, officials state that it is difficult to predict whether a
major eruption might occur. The geological agency has advised the public,
tourists, and climbers to stay at least 3 kilometers away from the active
crater. School activities have been shifted online in some areas, and fishermen
have stopped venturing out to sea as a safety precaution.
The five-hour episode of
continuous eruptions has ended, and activity has reverted to the Strombolian
type; however, the possibility of further eruptions remains. Monitoring is
ongoing. This event serves as yet another reminder of Indonesia's location
along the "Ring of Fire," where volcanic activity is common. Local
authorities and the meteorological agency, BMKG, are providing continuous
updates.