Jakarta airports remain closed for 2nd day after volcanic eruptions

Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted over the weekend, triggering widespread disruptions across the region. Flights at eight airports were suspended, schools and fishing operations were halted, and thousands of passengers found themselves stranded at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The transport ministry confirmed that more than 170,000 passengers were affected by the closures, with the airport remaining shut until 6 p.m. local time on Monday. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport initially suspended flight operations until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday due to volcanic ash, according to a post on its Instagram account. The suspension was extended multiple times, impacting 964 flights at the airport alone. Airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, and Lion Air Group canceled flights to and from Jakarta for the remainder of the day. Across the eight affected airports, the total number of disrupted flights exceeded 1,500. Anak Krakatau, located approximately halfway between Java and Sumatra, has been erupting since late Friday. Volcanic ash was detected at the airport early on Sunday, prompting the transport ministry to issue flight suspensions. According to the meteorological agency BMKG, ash reached as high as 6,000 meters on the Java side of the volcano and 15,000 meters on the Sumatra side, with some parts of Banten province in Java also affected. Passengers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport expressed frustration over the sudden changes. Ersy Laksita Rini, 55, was upset when she discovered her 8 a.m. flight to Surabaya had been canceled. She criticized the lack of prior notification from the airline. French national Eloan Tasset, 21, received a message from Batik Air informing him of a delay to his flight to Manado in North Sulawesi, though the duration of the delay remained uncertain. The airport operator provided food and light refreshments for affected passengers and arranged buses to hotels in coordination with the airlines. The disaster mitigation agency BNPB announced plans to conduct a weather modification operation, potentially involving cloud-seeding, to encourage rainfall. BNPB chief Suharyanto stated that heavy rain could wash away the volcanic ash quickly. The transport ministry identified three alternative airports across Java, Kertajati, Ahmad Yani, and Juanda, as possible options for diverted flights, should airlines choose to operate them. Minister Dudy Purwagandhi emphasized the need for continued vigilance and recommended precautions such as wearing masks and eye protection, reducing outdoor activities, and covering water sources to mitigate the effects of volcanic ash. Ferries in the Sunda Strait operated normally, although the transport ministry urged vessels to maintain a distance of at least 3 kilometers from Anak Krakatau's crater and remain alert for potential volcanic hazards. Several schools canceled activities on Saturday following reports of eye irritations among students and residents, while fishermen also canceled fishing trips, according to local media outlet Kompas. Authorities distributed masks to motorists in Cianjur, West Java, some 200 kilometers from Anak Krakatau, as the disaster management agency reported volcanic ash in the city and urged residents to stay indoors. Governors of Lampung and Jakarta implemented remote learning starting Monday to minimize health risks for students exposed to volcanic ash. The transport ministry noted that the suspension of flights had affected 209 flights, extending a previous halt scheduled until 5:30 a.m. The disruption also impacted international flights, with Singapore Airlines canceling services to and from Jakarta for the rest of Sunday. Qantas similarly reported disruptions to its services, emphasizing the importance of safety in its operations. The geological agency warned that the probability of further eruptions in the coming periods remains high. Recent eruptions saw ash reaching heights of 20,000 feet on the Java side of the volcano and 50,000 feet on the Sumatra side, according to BMKG. The agency continues to monitor conditions and conduct tests at airports every 30 minutes to assess the spread of volcanic ash. Indonesia lies within the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where seismic and volcanic activity is common. Anak Krakatau, meaning "child of Krakatau," emerged from the area once occupied by the older volcano Krakatoa, which famously erupted in 1883, causing massive tsunamis and killing over 36,000 people.