Sept. 7 (UPI) — Volcanic ash that spewed from Anak Krakatau late last week forced seven airports to remain closed on Monday, affecting hundreds of thousands of travelers across the world’s largest archipelagic nation.
The continuous volcanic eruption that began Friday lasted 25 hours and ended just after midnight Sunday, Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, known as CVGHM, said in a statement.
According to the BMKG, ash as high as 20,000 feet was moving east, affecting Jakarta, Banten, West Java and surrounding waters, while ash up to 50,000 feet was moving west, affecting Banten, Lampung, Bengkulu, the southern Sunda Strait and the Indian Ocean.
Of the eight airports closed in response, only one returned to operations as of Monday morning, Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi told reporters during a press conference.
However, alternative facilities would be opened, he said.
“We are offering airlines an alternative,” he said, according to local news, adding that the facilities would allow airlines to perform landings and departures as the main hubs remain closed.
Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry said 2,300 flights and 270,337 passengers have been affected by the disruption, including flight cancelations, postponements and diversions.
Affected airports include Soekarno-Hatta International, Indonesia’s principal travel hub.
Though the eruption has ended, officials said seismic activity remained high and Anak Krakatau remained at a Level III, or Alert, on Monday as further eruptions were considered likely and could produce incandescent rocks, heavy ashfall and lava flows.
