Indonesian media reported on September 7 that Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said that 7 airports, including 2 airports serving Jakarta, continue to be closed due to ash from the eruptions of the Anak Krakatau volcano.
Anak Krakatau volcano, located between Java and Sumatra, began erupting from the end of September 4. Ashes then spread to Jakarta and surrounding areas, forcing authorities to close airports to ensure aviation safety.
As of September 7, more than 270,000 passengers were affected by delays, diversions or cancellations of about 2,300 flights.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta's main airport, is expected to be closed until 6 pm on September 7 local time, along with 6 other airports. An airport in South Sumatra has reopened.
We cannot determine when this situation will end due to erratic weather changes," Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said.
At Soekarno-Hatta airport in Tangerang, bordering Jakarta, many passengers had to wait to update flight status. Some people slept on their seats while flight schedules were constantly changed.
Volcanic expert Surono said strong winds and arid conditions are spreading sulfur and silicon ash on a large scale, posing a risk to aircraft engines.
According to the Indonesian volcanic monitoring agency, Anak Krakatau continued to erupt at 8:23 PM on September 6. This agency warned that the possibility of more eruptions in the near future is still high.
The Indonesian Bureau of Meteorology, Climate and Geophysics (BMKG) said that ash from the eruptions could reach an altitude of 6,000 m towards Java and 15,000 m towards Sumatra along with some areas in Banten province.
On September 6, the Indonesian disaster management agency advised people to wear masks when going out to limit the effects of ash. Some schools in Jakarta and Lampung switched to online learning to reduce health risks for students.
Anak Krakatau is one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. This volcano formed from the area where Krakatau volcano once existed, after large eruptions in 1883 that killed more than 36,000 people due to explosions and tsunamis.
In 2018, an Anak Krakatau eruption caused a tsunami, killing more than 400 people in Indonesia.
