Indonesia's Krakatoa volcano erupts, shutting down eight airports, stranding about 170,000 passengers

The eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia has suspended operations at eight airports and stranded about 170,000 passengers.

Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was the first airport to be closed on Sunday (September 6) morning after volcanic ash was detected in the airspace near it.

The Indonesian Ministry of Transport stated that a total of 1,558 flights were delayed and the airport will remain closed until 9 a.m. local time on Monday (7th).

The Son of Krakatau volcano began erupting late last Friday (4th), causing continuous seismic activity, lava fountains, and loud noises in the surrounding areas. Authorities said two more outbreaks occurred early Sunday morning.

The Indonesian Ministry of Transport stated that the airport suspension mainly affects flights to and from Singapore, as well as other international routes, including Doha, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said tests found that volcanic ash had spread to West Java, so the decision was made to temporarily close more airports.

He urged airlines to expedite refunds for affected passengers and provide timely information to passengers about to take flights to avoid crowds at the airport.

According to the Indonesian Meteorological Agency (BMKG), on Java Island to the east of the volcano, the height of volcanic ash rose to 20,000 feet (6,000 meters); to the west of the volcano, on the Sumatra side, the height of volcanic ash reached 50,000 feet (15,000 meters).

Authorities confirmed that the volcanic activity did not trigger a tsunami warning. The volcano is located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.

The Indonesian Health Minister called on residents in affected areas to stay indoors and wear masks to prevent respiratory tract, eyes and skin from being affected.

Local newspaper "Kompas" reported that several schools canceled activities on Saturday (September 5) after students and residents said volcanic ash irritated their eyes; some fishermen also reported eye discomfort and canceled fishing trips.

One of the residents, Aldi Candra Prayogi, told the newspaper that since Friday night he had felt "like tiny grains of sand running into his eyes" and needed to use eye drops to relieve the discomfort.

He added that the dust was so thick that he had to clean the yard in front of his house every five minutes.

Son of Krakatau, whose name means "Children of Krakatoa", was formed in the caldera left by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. It has been intermittently active since its formation from the sea at the turn of the last century.

The volcano collapsed in December 2018, triggering a massive tsunami that killed more than 400 people and displaced and injured thousands of residents in coastal areas near Sumatra and Java.

Scientists found that some of the rock blocks that fell from the mountain when the volcano collapsed were about 70 to 90 meters high.

The Pacific Ring of Fire is a 40,000-kilometer (25,000-mile) series of volcanoes, seismic zones, and plate tectonics surrounding the Pacific Ocean, stretching from the southernmost tip of South America to New Zealand.

About 90% of the world's earthquakes occur in this zone, and 75% of the earth's active volcanoes, or 452 active volcanoes, are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire.