Hundreds of flights have been disrupted in Indonesia after Mount Anak Krakatau erupted and sent volcanic ash toward major airports, including the main airport serving Jakarta.
The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, erupted on Saturday, sending lava high into the sky and producing loud booming sounds that were heard hundreds of kilometres away, according to Indonesian authorities.
The volcano erupted twice more on Sunday as activity intensified.
The volcanic ash spread toward Jakarta and reached the area around Soekarno Hatta International Airport, forcing authorities to suspend flight operations.
The airport was initially closed for several hours from early Sunday morning, but the suspension was extended as the volcanic activity continued.
More than 200 flight movements were affected at the airport, while other airports were also forced to close because of the ash.
The Indonesian government said six airports were affected, including Soekarno Hatta, Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung and Radin Inten II Airport near Bandar Lampung.
Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said airports in cities such as Semarang and Surabaya had been prepared to receive flights diverted from affected airports.
Indonesia’s meteorological agency said the volcanic ash reached about 6,000 metres on the Java side of the volcano.
It said another ash plume rose as high as 15,000 metres over Sumatra and parts of Banten province.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the volcano and the movement of the ash, as airlines adjust flight and passenger schedules.
Aviation safety remains the priority as officials warn that further delays and disruptions could occur.
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