Mount Anak Krakatau erupts, grounding hundreds of flights at Jakarta’s main airport

Early Sunday morning the sky over Indonesia’s bustling capital turned a hazy gray as Mount Anak Krakatau, the youthful off‑shoot of the infamous 1883 Krakatoa, burst back to life. The volcano, perched roughly halfway between the islands of Java and Sumatra, belched a massive ash column that reached an estimated 15,000 metres (about 50,000 ft) on the Sumatra side and at least 6,000 m (20,000 ft) on the Java flank.

Soekarno‑Hatta International Airport, the country’s busiest gateway, was among the first to feel the impact. A brief Instagram notice from the airport announced a suspension of all flight operations until 9:30 a.m. local time (02:30 GMT), extending an earlier pause that was supposed to end at 5:30 a.m. The disruption rippled through the schedule, affecting a total of 209 flights – a mix of domestic services and a handful of international routes, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, confirmed the ash measurements on its website, warning that the fine volcanic particles could pose a serious risk to aircraft engines and visibility. In response, the nation’s disaster‑mitigation agency, BNPB, urged people to stay calm but remain vigilant. Spokesperson Berton Panjaitan reminded residents that if ash does settle, wearing masks and eye protection, limiting outdoor activities, covering water supplies, and driving carefully are essential precautions.

The eruption also forced schools to cancel classes on Saturday, with many students reporting irritated eyes and throats from the lingering ash. Local fishermen, who rely on the surrounding waters for their daily catch, abandoned their boats as the plume drifted over the sea, according to reports from Kompas.

Thankfully, the BNPB said there is no immediate tsunami threat from this event. The memory of the 2018 Anak Krakatau eruption, which triggered a deadly tsunami that claimed hundreds of lives across Java and Sumatra, still looms large. That tragedy serves as a stark reminder of how quickly the volcanic landscape can shift from ash clouds to massive waves.

For those unfamiliar with the volcano’s backstory, “Anak” means “child” in Indonesian. The cone emerged in the early 20th century from the crater left by the catastrophic 1883 Krakatoa eruption – a disaster that killed more than 36,000 people and reshaped the region’s geography. Today, Anak Krakatau continues to grow, a living reminder that Indonesia sits on the volatile Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where earthquakes and eruptions are part of everyday life.

As the ash begins to settle and authorities assess the situation, flights are expected to resume gradually, though travelers should stay alert for further updates. Meanwhile, communities near the volcano are coping with the immediate fallout, hoping the sky clears quickly and that the next eruption remains a simple ash cloud rather than a larger calamity.