Indonesia suspended operations at its main international airport on the outskirts of Jakarta, on Sunday, as well as flights at 5 other airports, after a volcanic eruption 150 kilometers from the capital, disrupting the plans of thousands of travelers.
The Anak Krakatoa volcano erupted on Saturday, releasing a fountain of lava and loud sounds that could be heard up to 700 kilometers away, according to the Indonesian Geological Agency. The Volcanology Agency reported that two new volcanic eruptions were recorded on Sunday.
Volcanic ash was detected in the airspace surrounding Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, prompting the authorities to suspend operations there starting at 1:30 am Sunday (18:30 GMT Saturday).
The Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Sunday that the test results “indicated the spread of volcanic ash in the area of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, and therefore the closure of the airport was extended on Sunday until 5:30 am.”
After that, the airport announced on social media that the closure was extended 3 times, the last of which was until 5:30 pm on Sunday “due to increasing volcanic activity.” Later on Sunday, the Ministry of Transport announced the suspension of flights at a total of 6 airports.
Transport Minister Dodi Burwagandi said in a press conference: “There were indications that Husein Sastranagar Airport was affected. Therefore, we announced the suspension of flights there,” referring to the last airport included in the decision. Among the other airports that witnessed the suspension of flights is Radin Inten II International Airport, according to the minister.
He added that other airports in the country, including in the cities of Semarang and Surabaya, have been prepared as “alternative sites” for the landing of incoming flights.
The suffering of travelers
The suspension of flights prompted travelers to scramble in search of alternative flights. Hini Yinsan (44 years old), who was planning to return to her hometown with her mother, said, “Everyone was disappointed.” The businesswoman, who was forced to postpone her trip until Tuesday, added: “None of us was angry, because in the end this happened because of a natural disaster,” as quoted by Agence France-Presse.
As Samuel Guiberto, a Danone executive traveling on a business trip to Lombok, said: “I found another flight through a different company, but it was also cancelled.” Pointing out that he has no choice but to remain in his place until further notice.
The travel plans of more than 22,000 people were affected by the suspension of flights, the Ministry of Transport said, adding that 209 flights were affected, especially to and from Singapore. Other affected international flights included Doha, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.
Local media also reported that several schools canceled their activities, with students and residents suffering from eye irritation due to the ash, while fishermen canceled their fishing trips due to the eruption.
Warning not to approach
It is noteworthy that the Anak Krakatoa volcano is located in a strait separating the islands of Java and Sumatra. The local port authorities called on ships crossing the strait to be careful, in anticipation of any disruption to the safety of navigation as a result of volcanic activity, and prevented them from approaching the volcano within an area with a radius of 3 kilometers.
The volcano has been active intermittently since it emerged from the sea at the beginning of the last century, in the large crater that formed after the eruption of Mount Krakatoa in 1883. That disaster was one of the most devastating disasters in history. The number of its victims was estimated at about 35 thousand people.
The head of the State Geological Agency, Lana Saria, said, “Seismic activity indicates the movement or emission of volcanic fluids within the volcanic system,” noting that, “However, it is not possible to accurately predict the timing of the next eruption, its size, or its nature.” Lana warned against approaching the Anak Krakatoa volcano, noting that the projectiles it emits may pose a danger to those within the restricted area. It was ruled out that the recent series of eruptions would cause a tsunami, noting that in 2018, a tsunami resulting from the collapse of parts of the Anak Krakatoa volcano killed 429 people and displaced thousands.
Indonesia - an island country in Southeast Asia - is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire. The meeting of continental plates causes intense volcanic and seismic activity.
The eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia caused the suspension of hundreds of flights at Jakarta's main airport, today (Sunday), after some school activities and fishing trips were halted.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport wrote in a post on Instagram that it had suspended flights until 9:30 a.m. (02:30 GMT) due to volcanic ash.
The Indonesian Ministry of Transport said that this suspension, which represents an extension of a stop that was scheduled until 5:30 am, affected 209 flights, including several international flights.
The ministry added in a statement that Anak Krakatau began erupting late on Friday, and that volcanic ash was detected at the airport early Sunday morning.
The Meteorological Agency "BMKG" said on its website that ash was detected at an altitude of up to 6,000 meters on the Java side of the volcano, while the height of the ash column reached about 15,000 meters on the side located in Sumatra and some areas of Banten province in Java.
Burton Pandjaitan, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNBP), said that the agency “urges citizens to remain calm and increase vigilance.” In the event of ash falling, people are advised to wear masks and eye protection, reduce outdoor activities, cover water sources, and be careful when driving, as volcanic ash can reduce visibility.
Local media reported that several schools canceled their activities yesterday, Saturday, with students and residents suffering from eye irritation due to the ash, while fishermen canceled their fishing trips due to the eruption.
The Disaster Mitigation Agency said on Saturday that there was no imminent danger of a tsunami resulting from the volcano.
A measles epidemic is sweeping Bangladesh, claiming the lives of nearly a thousand children, in the worst outbreak of this disease in the country in decades, while crowded hospital wards are filled with infants struggling for survival.
The cries of sick children and the sounds of oxygen machines fill Shishu Children's Hospital in Dhaka, where Reema Akhtar keeps her nine-month-old baby.
Akhtar, 30, told Agence France-Presse: “Just an hour ago, a child died and they transported him in front of us. "We saw two children die today." Her son, Thabet Haq, is one of many children receiving treatment for measles in the hospital.
According to the latest Ministry of Health figures, at least 986 children have died since March, while the number of confirmed and suspected infections exceeded 180,000.
Measles is a highly contagious disease transmitted through coughing and sneezing, and there is no specific treatment for it after infection. Its complications may lead to brain swelling and severe breathing problems. Although the disease may affect anyone, children are more vulnerable to its risks.
Bangladesh, with a population of 170 million, launched a massive vaccination campaign to confront the outbreak, but the number of infections is still rising.
Malnutrition exacerbates the crisis
“Since July, I have been moving between several hospitals to obtain appropriate treatment for my son,” said 19-year-old Sanjana Islam Modena, holding her six-month-old son, Ayan, who is connected to an oxygen tube. Ayan's head is covered in small, fading dark spots, left behind by the severe red rash caused by measles.
Ayan was hospitalized for the first time with pneumonia in July, then contracted measles, before finally receiving a bed at the specialist children's hospital in the capital in mid-August.
The child spent 15 days in intensive care before his condition improved enough to transfer him to a ward designated for measles patients. The hospital currently includes 101 children suspected or confirmed of measles.
Modena added to Agence France-Presse, while she was trying to calm her crying child, “His lungs were very weak due to pneumonia, and then measles made his breathing more difficult.” He has been receiving oxygen continuously for five days.”
Most cases in Bangladesh during the current outbreak were recorded in children between the ages of six months and five years.
Doctors say that many children arrive at hospitals in critical condition, while malnutrition weakens their ability to resist the virus.
“The doctors gave my son a special milk prepared for children who suffer from malnutrition,” Modena continued, wiping the sweat from her little one’s forehead.
"Destructive"
The outbreak has exposed gaps in Bangladesh's efforts to protect its children, and Ziauddin Haider, special assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Rahman on health, described the outbreak as "devastating."
Bangladesh has made significant progress in vaccination against infectious diseases, but a measles campaign scheduled for 2024 was delayed due to the uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Worker strikes and political instability also delayed the 2025 campaign. Since then, the country has launched a massive vaccination campaign to confront the outbreak, but infection numbers are still rising.
“There were a large number of children who did not receive the doses,” Haider said. He added: “Health care workers are working to vaccinate these children to fill the shortage.”
Mahmudur Rahman, an epidemiologist and former director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, said Bangladesh should consider launching a broader vaccination campaign to contain the outbreak.
He pointed out that public awareness is also necessary, stressing the importance of preventive measures, including isolating infected children, washing hands, and having caregivers wear masks.
As for Akhtar, she does not need anyone to remind her of how quickly the disease spreads, and she said: “We realize how quickly this disease is transmitted. “Our son was initially hospitalized with bronchitis.” She continued: “After he left, we had to return because of measles.”
