Indonesia cancels flights as Anak Krakatau volcano erupts

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano erupted early Sunday, prompting the cancellation of all flights at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and disrupting other domestic airports as volcanic ash drifted across parts of western Indonesia.

Indonesia’s Geological Agency said the volcanic island located in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait between the main Java and Sumatra islands had showed signs of activity since Friday before erupting for 30 seconds at 3:53 a.m. Sunday. Closed-circuit camera footage showed lava flares from the volcano.

No casualties were reported and no evacuation order was issued. The nearest settlement is more than 10 miles away, but authorities warned residents and visitors to stay at least 2 miles from the active crater.

Volcanic ash spread across parts of Jakarta and Lampung province on Sumatra’s southern tip, Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said.

AirNav Indonesia closed airspace around Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdanakusuma airports in Jakarta, as well as six other airports, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung, because of volcanic ash.

By Sunday evening, the closure had affected 467 flight movements in Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta airport alone that affected about 150,000 passengers. The airport was ordered closed until at least 9:30 p.m.

“It’s of course an…

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