Indonesia cancels flights at Jakarta airport and others as Anak Krakatau volcano erupts

Indonesia canceled flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and disrupted other domestic services after Anak Krakatau erupted early Sunday. The Directorate of Geological Agency said the volcano in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra showed signs of activity since Friday, then erupted for about 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. No casualties were reported and authorities issued no evacuation order, though they warned residents and visitors to stay at least 3 kilometers from the active crater. Volcanic ash spread over Jakarta and Indonesia’s Lampung province, leading AirNav Indonesia to close airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma, plus six other airports including Radin Inten II Airport. By Sunday evening, closures affected 467 flight movements in Jakarta, impacting about 150,000 passengers. Ash clouds were identified by satellite, with one plume reaching 20,000 feet and another 50,000 feet.