This legendary volcano just erupted again, flights across an entire country are grounded (Video)
· The South African
Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau erupted overnight into Saturday, 5 September, sending incandescent rocks and volcanic ash high into the sky and forcing the temporary closure of multiple airports.
The volcano, sitting in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, has now been actively erupting since July.
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The eruption forced flight cancellations at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta and Halim airports, as well as disruptions in Bali and Medan, though officials say there’s no risk of a tsunami-triggering collapse.
how serious this eruption actually is
Indonesia’s Geological Agency confirmed the eruption ejected volcanic ash as high as 15km above sea level.
The plume was tracked moving west at roughly 74km/h.
Sulfur dioxide emissions were also monitored in the lead-up to the eruption.
These ranged between 715 and 2,922 tonnes per day.
The volcano remains at Alert Level III, it is second-highest classification.
Lana Saria is head of Indonesia’s Geological Agency.
She described Sunday’s eruption as the strongest since activity intensified in July.
She said officials continue to evaluate the volcano’s development based on all monitoring data.
“Not solely on the number of eruptions or the height of the ash column,” she added.
Despite the scale of the eruption, authorities were clear about one key reassurance.
The volcano’s growth since its catastrophic December 2018 eruption remains relatively limited.
That 2018 eruption triggered a deadly tsunami, but officials say there’s currently no potential for a collapse large enough to cause one this time.
the wider disruption on the ground
Beyond the airport closures, Jakarta’s governor urged residents to adopt safety protocols against volcanic ash, and the city reportedly shifted some schools to remote learning as a precaution.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation confirmed affected passengers are entitled to full ticket refunds.
A 3km exclusion zone remains in place around the crater. Officials say the main hazards extend beyond air travel disruption.
These include volcanic ash, high gas concentrations, and the risk of hot rocks being ejected around the crater area.
I always find it sobering how something this powerful can still upend an entire country’s air travel network in a single night.
This volcano was born from one of history’s most infamous volcanic explosions.
Indonesia’s Ring of Fire location means this kind of event, while dramatic, is a genuine part of daily risk for millions of people there.
Have you ever experienced a volcanic eruption disrupting your travel plans?
Let us know in the comments below…