Several Indonesian airports remain shut due to volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau

JAKARTA: Seven Indonesian airports, including two serving Jakarta, remained closed on Monday (Sep 7) because of volcanic ash from eruptions at Mount Anak Krakatau as around 341,000 travellers were affected by flight cancellations and delays, officials said.

Ash from Anak Krakatau, which sits halfway between Java and Sumatra islands, has blanketed Jakarta and several surrounding areas since it erupted late on Friday, leading to the closure of the airports for safety reasons.

Around 341,000 people have been affected by the delay, diversion, or cancellation of 2,961 flights, said Indonesia's chief infrastructure minister, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.

Jakarta's main airport, Soekarno-Hatta, will remain closed until 11.59pm local time (12.59am, Singapore time), the airport's operator said.

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Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said the Jakarta airport's closure aims "to give the airport time to clean the runway, taxiway and apron", and give airline operators time to prepare their fleets.

"We want to ensure that the volcanic ash is moving away from the airports located around Mount Anak Krakatau," he said.

It is unclear until when the remaining six airports would be closed. One other airport in South Sumatra has been reopened.

Singapore Airlines is among the airlines affected, with 18 flights cancelled on Monday. Another flight departing Jakarta on early Tuesday was also cancelled.

On Monday, passengers at Soekarno-Hatta, which is located in the city of Tangerang, adjacent to Jakarta, were frantically looking for the status of their flights on the information boards. Some were sleeping on benches.

Carlos Zabala, 24, was travelling to his native Spain after a vacation when he learned his flight was repeatedly delayed. Expressing his frustration, he blamed operators for the lack of clarity.

"All we have to do is wait, and wait, and wait," he said.

President Prabowo Subianto chaired a virtual meeting on Monday with authorities on the eruption, as well as an Aug 15 earthquake that killed more than 130 people in eastern Indonesia and the ongoing forest fires, saying that the disaster mitigation budget needs to rise significantly.

"This is our destiny, a country located in the ring of fire," he said, adding that more helicopters and water pumps are needed to mitigate disasters. "For the future, we will take anticipatory steps."

RED SKY

At night, the lava from Anak Krakatau lit the sky red as it erupted. Residents were sweeping the dusty floors of their homes and the blackened walls of a nearby mosque, Reuters photographs showed.

Anak Krakatau is one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which straddles the "Pacific Ring of Fire", a highly seismically active zone where different plates on the earth's crust meet to create a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Anak Krakatau, which means child of Krakatau, began emerging a century ago from the area previously occupied by Krakatau, then known as Krakatoa. The older volcano destroyed itself in mass eruptions in 1883, which killed more than 36,000 people after triggering a series of tsunamis.

A tsunami after an eruption at Anak Krakatau in 2018 killed over 400 people.

Renowned volcano expert Surono told Reuters that it is dangerous to fly as sulphur and silica-laden ash could damage plane engines and visibility was low due to the ash spread, especially with a lack of rain.

"For Anak Krakatau, the recent eruption was unusual," he said.

The volcano monitoring agency's website showed the most recent Anak Krakatau eruption occurred on Sunday at 8.23pm.

The agency warned on Monday that "the probability of further eruptions in the coming periods remains high".

The eruptions have sent ash as high as 6,000m on the Java side of the volcano and 15,000m on the Sumatra side, and in some parts of Banten province in Java, the meteorological agency BMKG posted on its website.

On Sunday, the disaster agency urged people to wear masks when travelling outdoors because of the ash. In Jakarta and Lampung, schools will use remote learning to counter health risks for students, state news agency Antara reported.

SINGAPORE TRAVELLERS

In a post on Facebook, the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta said that Singaporeans should look out for updates from the Indonesian authorities, including the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.

"The situation remains fluid, and further disruptions to flight operations may occur," it added.

"Singaporeans in Indonesia are advised to prioritise their safety, minimise outdoor activities and remain indoors where possible, monitor local news and official Indonesian government sources for the latest developments, and follow the advice of the local authorities."

Travellers whose plans have been affected should contact their airline directly for the latest flight status information, including cancellations, delays and available alternative arrangements.

They should also contact their travel insurance provider to understand their coverage and options.

Travellers should also eRegister with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) at https://eregister.mfa.gov.sg if they have not already done so.

Singaporeans who require consular assistance may contact:

Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Jakarta
+62 21 5091 5400 (24-hour hotline) / +62 21 520 1469

Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Medan
+62 21 8050 1500 (office hours) / +62 811 6170 339 (after office hours for emergencies only)

MFA Duty Office (Singapore)
+65 6379 8800 / +65 6379 8855 (24-hour hotline)

General enquiries should be directed to the email of the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Jakarta at singemb_jkt [at] mfa.gov.sg.