The eruption of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano caused hours-long shutdowns at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, affecting more than 200 flights, coinciding with the spread of volcanic ash on the islands of Java and Sumatra and the disruption of some academic activities.
Suspension of flight operations
Indonesia’s transport ministry said in a statement today (Sunday) that the suspension of flights at the airport, the country’s busiest, was extended for several hours after volcanic ash was detected near it.
He explained that the suspension affected 209 flights, including international flights, noting that the volcanic activity started late yesterday (Friday), before ash was detected at the airport early this morning.
The height of the ash clouds reaches 15 thousand meters
In turn, the Indonesian Meteorological Agency reported that volcanic ash was observed at an altitude of about 6,000 meters in the direction of the island of Java, while another cloud reached an altitude of about 15,000 meters in parts of Sumatra and Banten province.
Warning to the population about the impact of ash
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency urged residents to exercise caution during ashfall, limit outdoor activities, use masks and eye protection, cover water sources and use caution when driving due to low visibility.
According to local media, a number of schools canceled their activities yesterday (Saturday) after pupils and residents suffered eye irritation from the ash, and several fishermen also canceled sea trips due to the volcanic activity.
Alert level three
Authorities have kept the Anak Krakatau volcano on alert level three, preventing residents and visitors from coming within three kilometers of its active crater.
There were no reports of injuries or evacuations, and the competent authorities confirmed that there was no imminent danger of a tsunami caused by the volcanic activity.
The eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia caused an hours-long shutdown of Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, disrupting more than 200 flights.
Suspension of flight operations
Indonesia’s transport ministry said in a statement today (Sunday) that the suspension of flights at the airport, the country’s busiest, lasted for hours after volcanic ash continued to be observed near it.
He explained that the suspension affected 209 flights, including international flights, noting that the volcanic activity started late yesterday (Friday), before ash was detected at the airport this morning.
Ash clouds reach 15,000 meters
For its part, the Indonesian Meteorological Agency reported that volcanic ash was observed at an altitude of about 6,000 meters towards the island of Java, while another cloud reached an altitude of about 15,000 meters in parts of Sumatra and Banten province.
A warning to residents about the effects of ash
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency urged residents to exercise caution during ashfall, limit outdoor activities and use masks and eye protection, in addition to covering water sources and driving with caution due to reduced visibility.
Several schools canceled yesterday (Saturday) after students and residents suffered eye irritation from the ash, and several fishermen canceled sea trips due to volcanic activity, according to local media.
Alert level three
Authorities have kept the Anak Krakatau volcano on alert level three, barring residents and visitors from coming within three kilometers of its active crater.
There were no reports of injuries or evacuations, and the relevant authorities confirmed that there are no signs of imminent danger of tsunami waves caused by the volcanic activity.
