Anak Krakatau erupts in Indonesia
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The gist
Anak Krakatau erupted Sept 4-6, 2026, spewing ash 50,000 feet. Hundreds of flights canceled, six airports shut, no casualties reported.
Background
Anak Krakatau, meaning 'Child of Krakatau', emerged in the 1920s from the caldera left by the 1883 Krakatoa eruption, one of history's deadliest. It sits in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The volcano has erupted periodically, including a 2018 eruption that triggered a tsunami killing over 400 people. This recent eruption began late Friday, September 4, with increased activity, leading to ash plumes and flight disruptions.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2, 2026Alert status raised to Level III as eruptions continued.
- Sep 4, 2026 04:28First eruption recorded with 70 mm amplitude, lasting 31 seconds.
- Sep 4, 2026 05:46Second eruption sent ash column 300 meters above peak.
- Sep 4, 2026 22:00Activity intensified, leading to continuous eruption.
- Sep 5, 2026 04:40Eruption ongoing; rumbling heard from monitoring post.
- Sep 6, 2026 03:53Eruption lasting 30 seconds; lava flares seen on CCTV.
- Sep 6, 2026Six airports suspended operations, including Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta; 209 flights affected.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- PVMBG issued 3-km safety radius advisory; no tsunami risk, no evacuation order.
- Analysts
- Volcanic ash poses serious hazard to aircraft, damaging engines and reducing visibility.
Still unverified
Reports of booming sounds and vibrations in West Java, Banten, and Lampung suspected related to the eruption, but not confirmed.