Volcano eruption Indonesia cancels flights to holiday spot

More than 150,000 passengers have been stranded after a volcanic eruption in Indonesia forced the closure of six airports.

The disruption has affected international flights, including routes to and from Singapore, Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur.

The eruption of Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, began late on Friday.

It triggered continuous seismic activity, lava fountains, and loud explosions that were heard across the surrounding regions.

Dudy Purwagandhi, Indonesia’s transport minister, said so far 467 flights have been affected and asked airlines to consider diverting some flights to other airports.

Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was the first to close on Sunday morning after volcanic ash was detected in nearby airspace.

Further airport closures followed as the ash cloud spread toward West Java.

He urged airlines to speed up the refund process for affected travellers and to provide timely updates to prevent overcrowding at airports.

Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, reported that ash reached up to 20,000ft (6,000m) on the Java side of the volcano and as high as 50,000ft (15,000m) on the Sumatra side.

Despite the scale of the eruption, authorities have confirmed that there is no tsunami warning in place.

The health minister has advised residents in affected areas to stay indoors and wear face masks to protect themselves from respiratory, eye, and skin irritation.

Several schools cancelled activities on Saturday after students and residents reported eye irritation from the ash.

Some fishermen also suspended trips at sea, citing similar complaints.

Anak Krakatau, which means "Child of Krakatoa," has been intermittently active since it emerged from the sea in the early 20th century.

It formed in the caldera left by the catastrophic 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa.

In December 2018, Anak Krakatau partially collapsed, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 400 people and displaced thousands along the coastlines of Sumatra and Java.

Scientists later determined that some of the rock that slid into the sea during the collapse was between 70 and 90 metres high.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a 40,000km (25,000-mile) arc of volcanoes and fault lines that stretches from the southern tip of South America to New Zealand.

The region is home to 75 per cent of the world’s active volcanoes and is responsible for around 90 per cent of all earthquakes.

The UK government has warned Brits about the dangers of travelling to some areas of Indonesia.

It said: “If you are due to travel, check with your airline or travel provider for up to date information on your flight status.”

Brits are advised to avoid all travel to the following volcanoes in Indonesia:

• Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province - to within 7km of the crater
• Mount Sinabung, Karo Regency, North Sumatra - to within 5km of the crater
• Mount Marapi, West Sumatra - to within 3km of the crater
• Mount Semeru, Lumajang Regency, East Java - to within 5km of the crater and in the south-east of Mount Semura to within 500m from any riverbank of the Besuk Kobokan river for 13km from the crater
• Mount Ruang, Northern Sulawesi - to within 7km of the crater
• Mount Ibu, North Maluku Province - to within 7km of the crater