Krakatau Volcano Eruption Spreads Ash Ashfall Reaches Jakarta

Ash from the eruption of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano (GAK), which began erupting on Friday night (4/9), has spread widely, reaching from Bengkulu to Jakarta by Sunday morning (6/9). The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) revealed the distribution data of volcanic ash as of 04:00 WIB on Sunday (6/9), indicating two main clusters of ash dispersal from the Anak Krakatau volcano. "Based on information from PVMBG and VAAC Darwin, as well as analysis of Himawari-9 RGB imagery on September 6, 2026, at 04:00 WIB, two clusters of ash dispersal from the Anak Krakatau volcano have been identified," the BMKG stated on its official website. The first cluster is heading towards Jakarta, Banten, and West Java, with ash reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet in the atmosphere. "Ashfall from the surface up to an altitude of 20,000 ft was observed moving towards the Northeast-South, covering parts of DKI Jakarta, Banten, and West Java, as well as surrounding waters," the BMKG reported. This phenomenon has been noticed by many netizens in the Jabodetabek metropolitan area, who have shared observations of thin ash falling in areas like Ciledug in Tangerang, Jagakarsa in South Jakarta, and even in the heart of Jakarta. Furthermore, volcanic ash reached Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, leading to its temporary closure until 09:30 WIB on Sunday (6/9), with some flights being delayed or rerouted. The second ash cloud was observed spreading from the surface up to an altitude of 50,000 feet, moving towards the southwest-northwest. This area includes parts of Banten, Lampung, Bengkulu, the southern Sunda Strait, and the Indian Ocean west of Bengkulu, Lampung, and Banten. In Bandarlampung, the capital of Lampung province, volcanic ash covered road surfaces. The city government conducted water spraying on Sunday (6/9) to wet the ash, which was deemed to be obstructing road users. Mayor of Bandarlampung, Eva Dwiana, stated that the spraying was carried out to dampen the volcanic dust adhering to the road surfaces.