Volcanic eruption causes flight cancellations at major Indonesian airport

According to local authorities, 209 flights were delayed or rescheduled on Sunday morning after volcanic ash from the Anak Krakatau volcano was detected in the airspace near the airport.

The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, began erupting on Friday evening. This process triggered continuous seismic activity and lava fountains. According to officials, two more eruptions were observed early Sunday morning.

The airport was temporarily closed until 1:30 p.m. local time. This situation affected more than 22,000 passengers in one way or another.

The Ministry of Transport reported that the flight cancellations mainly affected routes to and from Singapore. International flights to destinations such as Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur were also impacted by the restrictions.

Officials confirmed that no tsunami warning had been issued in connection with the volcano's recent activity.

The Minister of Health recommended that residents in the affected areas stay indoors as much as possible and use masks.

Local Kompas newspaper reported that classes were canceled in several schools on Saturday. This was due to complaints from students and residents about eye irritation caused by volcanic ash. Some fishermen also canceled their trips to sea due to eye pain.

A local resident, Aldi Chandra Prayogi, said in an interview with the publication that since Friday evening, he felt as if “small grains of sand had fallen into his eyes.” According to him, he is forced to use eye drops to reduce the irritation.

He noted that the dust was so thick that he had to sweep his front yard every five minutes.

The name Anak Krakatau means “Child of Krakatoa.” It has been periodically active since it emerged from the sea in the caldera formed by the famous 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano.

In December 2018, a part of the volcano collapsed, triggering a powerful tsunami. More than 400 people died as a result of the natural disaster. Thousands of people living on the nearby coasts of Sumatra and Java were forced to leave their homes.

Scientists determined that some rock fragments that broke off when the volcano collapsed rose to a height of 70–90 meters.

Indonesia is located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” which surrounds almost the entire Pacific basin. Volcanic and seismic activity is very high in this region due to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.