Indonesia temporarily shut eight airports on Sunday as volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau spread across parts of Java and Sumatra, disrupting flights at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and several other gateways.
Mount Anak Krakatau began erupting late Friday, sending volcanic ash as high as 50,000 feet (15 km), accompanied by rumbling sounds and lava fountains, according to Indonesia’s Geological Agency. The eruption continued through Sunday, with volcanic ash spreading into airspace over parts of Java and Sumatra.
Dudy Purwagandhi, minister of transportation, said the government had ordered eight airports to temporarily close until September 7 as a precaution, as volcanic ash poses a severe risk to flight safety.
The affected facilities include Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten; Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta; Radin Inten II International Airport in Lampung; Husein Sastranegara International Airport in Bandung, West Java; Budiarto Airport in Curug, Tangerang; Pondok Cabe Airport in South Tangerang, Banten; Taufik Kiemas Airport in Pesisir Barat, Lampung; and Atung Bungsu Airport in Pagar Alam, South Sumatra.
Data from the Ministry of Transportation showed that the closure impacted 964 flights at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport alone, and over 1,500 flights across all eight airports, stranding roughly 170,000 passengers.
Dudy shared that authorities were conducting paper tests every 30 minutes to check for ash around the airports while collaborating with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) to monitor wind direction, speed, and altitude.
Arie Ahsanurrohim, corporate secretary group head at InJourney Airports (Indonesia’s airport authority), said the company activated its Service Recovery Action programme to provide food and drinks to stranded travellers.
“InJourney Airports has also provided free buses to Yogyakarta, Solo, Semarang, and Surabaya for passengers affected by the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta,” he added.
To handle rerouted air traffic, authorities prepared several alternative airports for 24-hour operation, including Kertajati International Airport in West Java, Yogyakarta International Airport, Jenderal Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang, and Adisumarmo International Airport in Solo.
Speaking at an online press conference, Lana Saria, head of the Geological Agency at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, noted that activity at Mount Anak Krakatau could escalate, as low-frequency, hybrid, and harmonic earthquakes – along with tremors – continue to be recorded.
“These types of earthquakes indicate the movement or release of volcanic fluids within the volcano,” she said.
However, she added that the timing, magnitude, and precise nature of the next eruption remain unpredictable, requiring continuous monitoring.
