A volcanic eruption in Indonesia has thrown air travel into chaos, leaving an estimated 270,000 passengers stranded after more than 2,000 flights were canceled. Anak Krakatau, a volcano sitting in the Sunda Strait about 150 km (90 miles) from Jakarta, began erupting late Friday, shooting lava fountains and ash clouds toward the capital and the nearby Lampung province, and it has remained active ever since.
Jakarta’s main gateway, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, along with three other airports, extended closures through 6 p.m. local time Monday after ash was detected in nearby airspace. Schools switched to online classes and some shipping routes were suspended as a precaution.
At Soekarno-Hatta, long lines formed as travelers sought refunds or updates, glued to departure boards as flights were repeatedly rescheduled. One passenger described spending a sleepless night on intercity trains rather than wait out the uncertainty at the airport. Others, including a Malaysian couple on their honeymoon, said they now face days stuck in Bali with limited funds, since their return flight isn’t until later this week.
Indonesia’s geological agency warned that further eruptions remain likely, with ash plumes reaching as high as 15,000 meters (about 49,000 feet) on one side of the volcano. Officials have banned activity within 3 km (about 1.9 miles) of the crater and closed shipping lanes through the strait. You can read the full report at the link below.
Source: Indonesia volcano eruption leaves 270,000 stranded as airports extend closure (feeds.bbci.co.uk). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: NASA Goddard Photo and Video, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).