JAKARTA, September 7, 2026: Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau, the volcano known as the “Child of Krakatau,” erupted violently on Sunday, September 6, sending enormous plumes of volcanic ash into the sky and disrupting aviation across parts of the country.
The volcano, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, has been showing sustained explosive activity since September 4. Ash from the latest eruption rose to around 15 kilometres (50,000 feet) in some areas, creating a major hazard for aircraft.
The consequences were immediate. Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport temporarily suspended flight operations, while flights were cancelled, delayed or diverted. Reports cited by international media indicate that more than 1,500 flights were affected, disrupting travel for roughly 170,000 passengers.
At least eight airports have experienced disruption as volcanic ash spread across parts of Java and Sumatra. Airlines have cancelled or altered services, including international flights involving Singapore and Malaysia.
A volcano with a terrifying history
Anak Krakatau emerged from the caldera left behind by the catastrophic 1883 Krakatau eruption, one of the most destructive volcanic events in recorded history. That eruption triggered enormous tsunamis and killed more than 36,000 people.
In December 2018, another eruption caused part of Anak Krakatau to collapse into the sea, generating a tsunami that struck coastal areas of Java and Sumatra and killed more than 400 people.
Indonesia has currently placed Anak Krakatau at Alert Level 3, the second-highest level on its four-tier volcanic warning system. Authorities have established a safety zone around the volcano.
Importantly, Indonesian disaster authorities have said there is no immediate tsunami threat from the current activity.
Another volcano erupts
The situation is even more striking because Mount Semeru in eastern Java also erupted on Sunday, sending an ash column about 1,000 metres above its summit. Semeru is likewise at Alert Level 3, with authorities restricting access within five kilometres of the crater.
The dramatic X footage is therefore genuine, but the important story is bigger than the spectacular eruption itself: Indonesia is facing significant aviation disruption as volcanic ash spreads across a densely populated and heavily travelled region.
Source report with Reuters, AP, Al Jazeera and ANTARA reporting
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK (JNN)
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