Anak Krakatau roared back to life over the weekend, throwing volcanic ash high into the atmosphere and forcing Indonesia to halt flights at some of its busiest airports.
The eruption disrupted travel through Jakarta and sent ash across communities on both sides of the Sunda Strait. Officials said there were no reported deaths, but the volcano remained at Level III, or Alert, with the possibility of more eruptions.
Indonesia’s disaster agency and weather service launched weather-modification operations as volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau affected Jakarta and surrounding areas.
— BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) September 6, 2026
An official update from Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency said volcanic ash was detected as high as flight level 480, approximately 14.6 kilometers or nearly 48,000 feet above sea level. Satellite monitoring showed the plume moving mainly west and southwest, while ash reached seven districts in Banten and multiple communities in Lampung.
The agency said four airports had been temporarily closed in its early Sunday update, including Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in the Jakarta area. Airport restrictions continued changing as aviation authorities tracked the ash cloud, and later reports indicated that closures had expanded and been extended.
On the ground, local disaster-response workers distributed masks and urged residents to protect their eyes, cover food and water, and limit time outdoors when ash concentrations increased. Officials reported no fatalities or building damage in the initial assessment, while teams continued documenting the effects across Banten and Lampung.
BNPB said it was strengthening monitoring and response efforts after Anak Krakatau’s eruption, coordinating with local disaster agencies in affected districts.
— BNPB Indonesia (@BNPB_Indonesia) September 6, 2026
The eruption was not one isolated blast. Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said instruments recorded a continuous eruptive episode lasting roughly 25 hours, beginning at 11:07 p.m. Friday and ending shortly after midnight Sunday.
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Hours later, monitors recorded a 30-second Strombolian eruption at 3:53 a.m. Cameras showed a red eruption column dominating the night view and darker plumes rising during daylight. Although the continuous phase had ended, scientists said the volcano’s internal activity remained elevated and the potential for additional eruptions was still high.
Officials warned about possible glowing rocks, heavy ashfall and lava flows if continuous activity resumed. The three-kilometer exclusion zone around the active crater remains in place, and authorities told tourists, fishermen and residents to stay outside it while relying on official updates instead of rumors.
Temporary closures affecting eight airports because of the Anak Krakatau eruption were extended through midnight as authorities continued monitoring volcanic ash.
— Radio Elshinta (@RadioElshinta) September 6, 2026
The impact quickly spread beyond Indonesia’s airport terminals. AirAsia said all of its flights to and from Jakarta were canceled or rescheduled after the temporary closure of Soekarno-Hatta, with additional services adjusted when their routes could pass near the ash cloud.
The airline told travelers to check their flight status directly before leaving for the airport and said affected passengers were being contacted about recovery options. Volcanic ash can damage aircraft engines and other systems, making route changes and ground stops essential even when conditions at an airport appear calm from the ground.
AirAsia described the situation as fluid and said it would keep adjusting operations as the ash cloud moved. That uncertainty meant a flight listed one way early in the day could change again as authorities received fresh monitoring data.
The Associated Press reported that flights were canceled at Jakarta’s main international airport and disrupted at other domestic airports as ash drifted over western Indonesia. The agency placed the nearest settlement more than 10 miles from the volcanic island and said no evacuation order had been issued.
Anak Krakatau sits in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. It emerged from the caldera left by the devastating 1883 Krakatoa eruption, but officials stressed that current monitoring did not indicate the sort of large-scale volcanic collapse that could generate a tsunami.
That is reassuring, but it is not a signal to let down the guard. With ash high enough to shut airports, communities already wearing masks and the volcano still on Alert, the danger is immediate enough to demand close attention long after the first blast fades from view.
