Around 1,70,000 stranded as volcanic eruption disrupts Indonesian flight operations

Indonesia cancelled all flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted on Sunday, affecting thousands of passengersFlight operations at domestic airports were also disrupted, stranding around 1,70,000 passengers as volcanic ash spread across parts of western Indonesia, BBC reported.According to Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, the eruption led to the spread of Volcanic ash across parts of Jakarta and Lampung province in Sumatra, prompting AirNav Indonesia to close airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta, as well as six other airports.Two ash clouds were identified by the country's volcanology agency and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, using satellite imagery, with one rising to 6,100 meters that headed northeast over Jakarta, Banten, West Java and nearby waters. Another reached 15,200 meters and spread over parts of Banten, Lampung and Bengkulu provinces.Transport minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the government decided to temporarily shut additional airports after tests showed that volcanic ash had moved towards West Java.He called on airlines to speed up ticket refunds for passengers affected by cancellations and ensure that people with upcoming flights receive information promptly, helping prevent overcrowding at airports.Indonesia’s directorate general of civil aviation said it was monitoring the eruption’s effects on air travel and working with airlines, airport operators, air navigation service providers and the meteorology agency.“Safety remains our top priority in every operational decision,” Lukman F. Laisa, general of civil aviation, said in a statement.He cautioned that flight schedules could experience cascading disruptions as airlines seek to resume services, potentially affecting aircraft rotations, fleet availability and terminal capacity.The eruption also affected operations at Bali’s Gusti Ngurah Rai international airport and in Medan.Volcano remains activeLana Saria, head of Indonesia’s geological agency, said activity at Anak Krakatau has increased since July, with Sunday’s eruption being the strongest recorded during that period.She said the repeated eruptions suggest that magma and volcanic gases continue to be supplied from beneath the volcano, although officials cannot determine whether a larger eruption will take place.“We 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,” Saria said in a video briefing.According to Saria, the primary hazards include volcanic ash, high concentrations of gas, and the expulsion of hot rocks and other material near the crater.Anak Krakatau, meaning “child of Krakatau,” is the offspring of the famous Krakatau volcano, whose massive 1883 eruption led to a period of global cooling.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.