Around 270 passengers have been stranded across Indonesia after the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano caused the cancellation of more than 2 flights and forced several airports to suspend operations for the second day in a row.
Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait, about 150 kilometers from Jakarta, began strong volcanic activity late Friday. The eruptions have produced lava fountains and volcanic ash clouds, which have spread towards the capital and Lampung province.
The volcano continued to be active throughout the weekend, with the latest eruption recorded on Sunday evening.
Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and three other airports have extended the suspension of operations until 6pm on Monday after volcanic ash was detected in the airspace near them.
Long queues formed at Jakarta airport terminals as passengers sought refunds and information about upcoming flights.
The situation has also affected tourists. A Malaysian couple who had spent a week in Bali said their flight to Kuala Lumpur had been delayed until September 11.
In addition to air transport, some maritime transport operations in the affected areas have also been disrupted. Schools in some regions have moved classes online due to the situation.
Indonesia's meteorological agency, BMKG, reported that volcanic ash rose up to 6 meters towards Java, while towards Sumatra and parts of Banten province it reached up to 15 meters in height.
Indonesia's Geological Agency warned that the possibility of further eruptions remains high.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that it is impossible to determine when the volcanic activity will end, due to constantly changing atmospheric conditions.
Authorities have been conducting checks at affected airports every 30 minutes, in order to monitor the spread of ash and assess whether the situation is improving or worsening.
Authorities have banned access and any activity within a 3-kilometer radius of the active crater.
Even ships sailing in the Sunda Strait have been banned from entering a 3-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano.
However, authorities have confirmed that there is currently no tsunami warning related to the recent activity of Anak Krakatau.
"The Child of Krakatoa"
Anak Krakatau, which means "Child of Krakatoa," is located between the islands of Java and Sumatra. It was formed after the catastrophic eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in recorded history.
The volcano has continued to be active periodically since its emergence above the sea surface at the beginning of the 20th century.
In December 2018, a section of Anak Krakatau collapsed into the sea, triggering a tsunami that hit the coasts of Sumatra and Java. Over 400 people were killed, while thousands more were displaced or injured.
Indonesia is located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a 40-mile-long zone of high tectonic and volcanic activity. About 90 percent of the world's earthquakes occur along this zone, which also includes about 75 percent of the planet's active volcanoes.
