Anak Krakatau Eruption Strands 340,000, Closes Seven Indonesian Airports

More than 340,000 passengers are stranded across Indonesia after a volcanic eruption disrupted nearly 3,000 flights and forced airports to suspend operations for a second day.

Seven Indonesian airports, including Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma, remained closed on Monday morning due to volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau. Jakarta's main airport, Southeast Asia's second-busiest, decided not to reopen at 18:00 (11:00 GMT) as planned, with flights now expected to resume at 23:59 on Monday. Anak Krakatau, located 150 kilometers (90 miles) from Jakarta, began erupting late on Friday, producing lava fountains and sending volcanic ash into the capital and Lampung province.

The volcano remained seismically active throughout the weekend, with its most recent eruption recorded on Sunday at 8:23 p.m. The continuous eruption lasted approximately 25 hours, from 11:07 p.m. Friday to 12:04 a.m. Sunday. Ash has reached altitudes of up to 6,000 meters on the Java side and 15,000 meters on the Sumatra side and parts of Banten province.

The transport ministry reported that over 270,000 people have been affected by the delay, diversion, or cancellation of 2,300 flights. Over 950 international flights, including those to and from Japan, were canceled or diverted. Singapore Airlines and its budget carrier Scoot canceled flights between Singapore and Jakarta for Monday. The Singapore Embassy in Jakarta advised Singaporeans in Indonesia to e-register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting the situation remains fluid.

Authorities have warned residents and visitors to stay at least 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the active crater, though no casualties or evacuation orders have been issued. The disaster agency called for people to wear masks outdoors, and schools in Jakarta and Lampung will use remote learning. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources stated that while the continuous eruption ended, volcanic activity remains elevated, with a high probability of further eruptions and potential hazards including incandescent rock, heavy ashfall, and lava flows. Anak Krakatau emerged a century ago from the area previously occupied by Krakatau, which destroyed itself in 1883 eruptions, killing over 36,000 people.