Krakatau Volcano Eruption: A volcano rising from the Sunda Strait has turned into a major travel and public-health disruption for Indonesia, with volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau spreading across large parts of Java and Sumatra. The ash cloud reached airspace around Jakarta on Sunday, forcing authorities to suspend operations at six airports and disrupting hundreds of flights.
The biggest impact came at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta’s main international gateway, which lies more than 150 kilometres from Anak Krakatau. Airport authorities suspended operations after volcanic ash was detected in the surrounding airspace, leaving passengers waiting for updates and airlines scrambling to adjust schedules.
By Sunday, the disruption at Soekarno-Hatta had affected 301 flights, including 58 international services, according to airport operator Angkasa Pura. The wider airport shutdowns later involved six facilities as ash moved toward West Java and other affected areas.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Anak Krakatau Eruption Spreads Ash Across Major Air Routes
The eruption began late Friday and continued to send lava, ash and volcanic material into the atmosphere. Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, detected ash at altitudes of around 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) over Java, while another plume reached as high as 15,000 metres (50,000 feet) on the Sumatra side and parts of Banten.
Indonesia has temporarily suspended operations at six airports due to volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau spreading across parts of western Indonesia.
The closed airports are:
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Jakarta’s main airport in Tangerang)
Halim Perdanakusuma… pic.twitter.com/XZDq1CbxW9— T_CAS videos (@tecas2000) September 6, 2026
BMKG said it had intensified round-the-clock monitoring of the eruption and identified ash spreading across Banten, Jakarta, West Java and as far as Bengkulu. The agency has also issued repeated aviation warnings to help airlines and authorities manage the danger to aircraft.
Two additional eruptions were recorded on Sunday, adding to concerns about further ash movement and continued disruption.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Six Indonesian Airports Suspend Operations
The aviation disruption quickly expanded beyond Soekarno-Hatta.
Authorities temporarily suspended operations at six airports after assessments showed that volcanic ash could affect aviation safety. The facilities included Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Radin Inten II Airport, Pondok Cabe Airport, Budiarto Airport and Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung.
Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry said airport closures were being used as a safety measure rather than allowing aircraft to operate while ash remained in the airspace.
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said authorities would not reopen an airport if ash remained widespread or testing continued to show contamination.
“There are several airports in Java that we are preparing as alternatives for landings by flights from outside Java as well as international flights,” he said.
Authorities prepared airports including Kertajati International Airport, Jenderal Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang and Juanda International Airport as alternatives for diverted services.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Singapore Flights Among Services Hit
The disruption also affected international travel across Southeast Asia.
Singapore Airlines cancelled flights to and from Jakarta for the remainder of Sunday, while other international routes involving cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Doha and Amsterdam also faced cancellations, delays or schedule changes.
The impact extended beyond Indonesia. Malaysia Airports said dozens of Jakarta-bound flights were cancelled from Malaysian airports after the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta.
Airlines have been forced to monitor changing ash conditions before deciding whether to operate, divert or cancel flights.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Why Volcanic Ash Is Dangerous for Aircraft
Volcanic ash creates a serious aviation hazard because aircraft engines can ingest the fine particles during flight.
The ash can damage engine components, reduce visibility and affect aircraft systems. For that reason, aviation authorities closely track the movement and height of ash clouds before allowing aircraft to enter affected airspace.
The distance between Anak Krakatau and Jakarta’s main airport does not remove the risk. Wind can carry volcanic material far from the eruption site, allowing ash to reach major cities and busy aviation corridors.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Ash Also Disrupts Schools and Fishing
The eruption has affected more than aviation.
Ashfall caused irritation among residents in areas of Java and Sumatra, prompting some schools to cancel activities and fishermen to postpone trips. Local reports said people experienced eye irritation after exposure to the fine ash.
One resident, Aldi Candra Prayogi, told local newspaper Kompas that he felt as if “small grains of sand had gotten into my eyes”.
He also said the ash had become so thick that he needed to sweep his front yard every five minutes.
Indonesia’s Health Ministry advised people in affected areas to limit outdoor activity and use masks and eye protection when going outside. Officials warned that volcanic ash can cause respiratory problems as well as irritation to the eyes and skin.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Indonesia Plans Cloud-Seeding to Clear Ash
Authorities are also considering weather modification as part of the response.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB, said it would take measures such as cloud-seeding in an effort to encourage rainfall and help remove volcanic ash from affected areas.
“If it rains heavily enough, the volcanic ash that has been disrupting our daily lives since yesterday and continuing today will be washed away quickly,” BNPB chief Suharyanto told a news conference.
The measure is part of a broader effort to reduce the impact of ash on communities, transportation and daily activities.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: No Tsunami Warning After Anak Krakatau Eruption
Despite the volcano’s history, Indonesian authorities said there was no imminent tsunami threat from the latest eruption.
BMKG said monitoring from tsunami sensors around the Sunda Strait showed no abnormal sea-level changes.
The absence of a tsunami warning has allowed the response to focus mainly on volcanic ash, aviation safety and public health.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Why Anak Krakatau Is Closely Watched?
Anak Krakatau, meaning “Child of Krakatoa,” emerged from the sea in the caldera left after the catastrophic 1883 eruption of Krakatoa.
That historic eruption ranks among the deadliest volcanic disasters in recorded history and dramatically reshaped the area around the Sunda Strait.
Anak Krakatau has remained active since its emergence and has erupted repeatedly over the decades.
Its most recent major disaster came in December 2018, when part of the volcano collapsed into the sea. The collapse generated a tsunami that struck coastal areas of Java and Sumatra and killed more than 400 people.
Krakatau Volcano Eruption: Indonesia Remains on Alert as Eruption Continues
The latest eruption has once again highlighted Indonesia’s exposure to volcanic hazards. The country sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast zone of tectonic activity stretching around the Pacific Ocean and containing many of the world’s active volcanoes.
For now, authorities are watching the movement of the ash cloud, monitoring aviation conditions and advising residents to limit exposure.
The immediate priority remains keeping aircraft away from contaminated airspace while protecting people living under the ash plume. With Anak Krakatau continuing to show eruptive activity, airlines, airports and local communities remain on alert for further changes
