Anak Krakatau eruption grounds flights at Jakarta's main airport
Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted early on Sunday, September 6, 2026, prompting the temporary suspension of all flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as volcanic ash drifted across parts of western Indonesia.
The Geological Agency of Indonesia said the volcano, situated in the Sunda Strait between the main islands of Java and Sumatra, had shown increased activity since Saturday. The eruption lasted approximately 30 seconds and began at 3:53 a.m. local time.
No casualties have been reported, and no evacuation orders have been issued. The nearest settlement is located more than 16 kilometres from the volcano. Nevertheless, the agency has warned residents and visitors to stay at least 3 kilometres away from the active crater.
Volcanic ash spread over parts of the capital Jakarta and Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra, according to Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
In response to the heightened activity, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the nation's busiest, said it had "temporarily suspended flight operations from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m." local time. The airport's travel advisory prompted passengers to seek refunds and reclaim checked baggage as departure boards displayed an increasing number of cancelled flights.
Volcanic ash is particularly hazardous to aviation because it can damage jet engines and reduce visibility. Airport authorities often suspend operations as a precaution when ash drifts into flight corridors. In this case, satellite imagery analysed by the volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Australia revealed two ash clouds.
One plume reached an altitude of 20,000 feet and drifted northeast, affecting Jakarta, Banten, West Java and surrounding waters. A second cloud rose to 50,000 feet and moved westward and northwestward, covering parts of Banten, Lampung and Bengkulu provinces, the southern Sunda Strait and sections of the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra.
Anak Krakatau, whose name means "child of Krakatau", is a volcanic island that emerged from the sea in the decades following the cataclysmic 1883 eruption of Krakatoa. That eruption is considered one of the deadliest volcanic events in recorded history, with tens of thousands of lives lost and global climatic effects.
More recently, in 2018, the partial collapse of Anak Krakatau triggered a tsunami that killed at least 430 people along the coasts of Sumatra and Java. While Sunday's eruption has not prompted evacuations or caused casualties, alertness remains high. Scientists continue to monitor the volcano for signs of further activity.
Authorities said they would keep the public updated. Travellers have been advised to confirm flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport, as the suspension could be extended depending on the movement of ash.
