Anak Krakatau Eruption Spreads Ash, Halting Jakarta Flights
Indonesia
Supri Supri/Reuters
What Happened
Key Implications
What Happened
Key Implications
Where Sources Agree
- arrows_inputAirport Operations Suspended: A number of outlets note that Soekarno-Hatta International Airport suspended operations due to volcanic ash, impacting approximately 22,800 passengers and 209 flight movements, according to the Ministry of Transportation and airport authorities.
- arrows_inputTsunami Risk and Exclusion Zone: Some coverage highlights the absence of an imminent tsunami risk as the primary assessment, while authorities enforce a three-kilometer exclusion zone around the active crater, according to the disaster mitigation agency (BNPB).
- arrows_inputVolcanic Ash Plume Characteristics: Various reports document that satellite imagery identified two distinct volcanic ash clouds; one plume reached 20,000 feet while a second rose to 50,000 feet, according to the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre.
Where Sources Disagree
- arrows_outputDiscrepancy in Flight Disruption Totals: Reports on the scale of flight disruptions following the Anak Krakatau eruption vary significantly, with some sources citing 209 cancelled flights and 22,800 impacted passengers, while other accounts report 467 affected flights and 150,000 stranded travelers.
- arrows_outputAirport Closure Duration: Reports differ on the duration of the airport's closure following the Anak Krakatau eruption, with some sources stating operations were suspended until 9:30 AM, while others report the closure was extended until 5:30 PM.
Timeline
September 06, 2026
Widespread Flight Disruptions and Response: The eruption grounded all flights at Soekarno-Hatta and disrupted hundreds of movements — reporting between 209 and later 516 affected flight movements and about 22,800 passengers stranded — while six airports were closed, three alternative Java airports were designated, and national leaders urged calm and compliance with safety orders.
September 06, 2026
Ash Detected at Jakarta Airport: Paper tests and monitoring indicated volcanic ash presence at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in the early hours of Sunday, prompting authorities to temporarily halt flight operations and extend suspensions for safety.
September 05, 2026
Major High-Altitude Eruption: A high-level eruption ejected ash up to about 15 km (≈50,000 ft) above sea level around 00:50 WIB on September 5, 2026, producing multiple ash layers tracked by advisories and elevated sulfur dioxide emissions of 715–2,922 tonnes per day.
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Timeline
September 06, 2026
Widespread Flight Disruptions and Response: The eruption grounded all flights at Soekarno-Hatta and disrupted hundreds of movements — reporting between 209 and later 516 affected flight movements and about 22,800 passengers stranded — while six airports were closed, three alternative Java airports were designated, and national leaders urged calm and compliance with safety orders.
September 06, 2026
Ash Detected at Jakarta Airport: Paper tests and monitoring indicated volcanic ash presence at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in the early hours of Sunday, prompting authorities to temporarily halt flight operations and extend suspensions for safety.
September 05, 2026
Major High-Altitude Eruption: A high-level eruption ejected ash up to about 15 km (≈50,000 ft) above sea level around 00:50 WIB on September 5, 2026, producing multiple ash layers tracked by advisories and elevated sulfur dioxide emissions of 715–2,922 tonnes per day.
