In Indonesia, more than 1.5 lakh passengers were left stranded after a volcanic eruption forced authorities to temporarily suspend operations at eight airports.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said 712 flights have so far been affected, and urged airlines to consider diverting flights to alternative airports. The Transport Ministry said the disruption has mainly affected flights to and from Singapore, along with other international routes, including Doha, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur. Purwagandhi also called on airlines to expedite ticket refunds for passengers affected by cancellations.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was the first to suspend operations this morning after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau was detected in the airspace near the airport. According to Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, volcanic ash reached altitudes of up to twenty thousand feet over Java on east of the volcano, and as high as fifty thousand feet west of the volcano on the Sumatra side. Authorities said the volcano began erupting late Friday night, triggering continuous seismic activity, lava fountains and loud booming sounds across surrounding areas. Two further eruptions were recorded early this morning.
