Indonesia: Volcano disrupts 301 flights, shuts down 6 airports
What's the story
The eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau in Indonesia has led to the shutdown of six airports, including Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. According to Reuters, the volcanic activity disrupted 301 flights, including 58 international ones. Singapore Airlines also canceled all flights to and from Jakarta for the day due to the eruption.
Flight cancelations
Ash spread to Jakarta and Lampung province
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation confirmed that volcanic ash had spread to Jakarta and Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra island.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport suspended operations from 5:30am local time on Sunday due to the eruption.
Passengers were seen seeking refunds and reclaiming luggage as more flights were canceled.
Safety measures
Indonesia's civil aviation agency monitors situation closely
Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation is monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with airlines, airport operators, air navigation services and the meteorology agency.
The eruption affected around 22,800 passengers on Sunday alone. Domestic flights to Makassar in South Sulawesi were among those impacted, while Singapore was the international destination with the most affected flights.
Ash clouds
Two ash clouds detected by authorities
Indonesia's volcanology agency and Australia's Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre detected two ash clouds using satellite imagery.
One cloud reached an altitude of 20,000 feet and drifted northeast over parts of Jakarta, Banten, West Java, and surrounding waters.
The second cloud reached an altitude of 50,000 feet and moved westward and northwestward over parts of Banten, Lampung, and Bengkulu provinces.
Volcanic history
Travelers advised to check with airlines for updates
Anak Krakatau, which means "child of Krakatau," is a volcanic island that emerged from the famous Krakatau volcano.
The 1883 eruption of Krakatau caused global cooling, and a deadly tsunami in 2018 killed at least 430 people in Sumatra and Java.
The volcano has been on the second-highest alert level since then.
Authorities have advised travelers to check with airlines for updates and avoid unnecessary trips to the airport until conditions improve.