JAKARTA: Seven Indonesian airports remained closed on Monday after volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau disrupted nearly 3,000 flights and affected around 341,000 travellers, officials said.
Ash from the volcano, located between Java and Sumatra, has covered Jakarta and surrounding areas since eruptions began late Friday, forcing authorities to suspend airport operations for safety reasons.
Infrastructure Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono said delays, diversions and cancellations had affected 2,961 flights and approximately 341,000 passengers.
Jakarta’s main Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and six other airports will remain closed until 11:59pm Monday, Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said.
Authorities Extend Airport Closures as Ash Persists
Dudy said authorities needed additional time to clean runways, taxiways and aprons while airlines prepared aircraft to resume operations safely.
Meanwhile, passengers at Soekarno-Hatta faced prolonged uncertainty, with some sleeping on terminal benches while waiting for flight information.
President Prabowo Subianto chaired a virtual emergency meeting and called for significantly higher disaster-mitigation spending as Indonesia confronts multiple natural disasters.
Further Eruptions Remain a Serious Risk
Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency warned that the probability of additional Anak Krakatau eruptions remained high. The latest recorded eruption occurred on Sunday evening.
Moreover, ash columns have reportedly reached heights ranging from 20,000 feet on the Java side to 50,000 feet toward Sumatra.
Volcano expert Surono warned that sulphur- and silica-laden ash could damage aircraft engines and severely reduce visibility.
Consequently, authorities have urged residents to wear masks outdoors. Schools in Jakarta and Lampung will also shift to remote learning to reduce health risks.
Anak Krakatau is among roughly 130 active volcanoes across Indonesia, which lies along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.
