JAKARTA — Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupted early Sunday, forcing flight cancellations at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and disrupting services at seven other airports across western Indonesia. Approximately 170,000 passengers were stranded.
AirNav Indonesia, the country's air navigation service provider, closed airspace around Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta. Six additional airports, including Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung, suspended operations due to volcanic ash.
The closures led to the cancellation of 1,558 flights across the affected airports. Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the country's main hub, accounted for 963 of those cancellations alone.
Volcanic ash spread across western Indonesia following the eruption in the Sunda Strait. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, located more than 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the volcano, initially closed on Sunday. Airport authorities extended closure operations until 8:59 am local time Monday.
Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency released images showing lava during the eruption. Drone photos from the Geological Agency captured volcanic smoke over the Sunda Strait.
Local authorities initiated cleanup efforts in areas affected by ashfall. Firefighters sprayed water to clear roads in Bandar Lampung, which experienced ash accumulation.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to volcanic activity.
