Story perspectives

Minister Orders Closure of Eight Airports After Anak Krakatau Eruption

9/7/2026

Summary

Story summary

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi ordered the closure of eight airports after the Anak Krakatau eruption.
Ash forced Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to suspend operations, canceling 1,558 flights.
Approximately 170,000 passengers were stranded across the closed airports.
Ash plumes rose to 6,000 m on Java and 15,000 m on Sumatra.
Ash reached 20,000 ft eastward and 50,000 ft westward, covering Jakarta and surrounding provinces.

History

Historical Context

The May 18 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State spewed ash and debris, grounding flights across the Pacific Northwest. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration reported 57 million cubic yards of material and a 24,000-foot plume that forced Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to cancel 1,200 flights. Today's Anak Krakatau eruption mirrors that disruption, with Indonesia’s Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi shutting eight airports and stranding roughly 170,000 passengers. Both crises illustrate how volcanic ash can cripple national air networks, prompting agencies like the FAA and Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation to refine emergency response protocols.

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Story summary

Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi ordered the closure of eight airports after the Anak Krakatau eruption.
Ash forced Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to suspend operations, canceling 1,558 flights.
Approximately 170,000 passengers were stranded across the closed airports.
Ash plumes rose to 6,000 m on Java and 15,000 m on Sumatra.
Ash reached 20,000 ft eastward and 50,000 ft westward, covering Jakarta and surrounding provinces.

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