BRIN States Thick Smoke from Mount Anak Krakatau Could Reach Various Countries

Mount Anak Krakatau has experienced repeated eruptions from Friday (4/9) until the early hours of Saturday (5/9) in the Sunda Strait region.

Prof. Dr. Erma Yulihastin, a senior researcher from the Centre for Climate and Atmosphere Research at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), stated that the thick plumes of smoke rising from Mount Anak Krakatau, predicted to reach up to a dozen kilometres, have the potential to reach various neighbouring countries.

She assessed that the thick smoke could reach subtropical nations. “If it is observed by satellite to be this brown even over the ocean, it means the eruption is thick. The column height is estimated at 13 km, which almost penetrates the tropopause layer,” Erma said on her X account on Saturday (5/9).

According to her, the deep brown plume should be anticipated by the government and neighbouring countries. “A plume reaching the tropopause is dangerous because the Hadley circulation allows what is ejected in the equatorial region to be transferred to subtropical countries,” she added.

Previously, Fauzan, a resident of Kampung Baru, Labuan District, Pandeglang, felt continuous tremors due to the eruptions of Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait. He reported feeling the vibrations since the early hours, with the intensity increasing over time.

Fauzan recounted that on Saturday (5/9), his house door had been vibrating since 01:00 WIB, and the tremors did not stop until the morning. Based on video shared by Fauzan, his door vibrated continuously as if someone were attempting to force it open.

The eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau has produced rumbles and lava fountains. The volcano’s status remains at Alert (Level III), and the public has been advised to avoid all activities within a 3 km radius of the active crater.

According to reports from magma.esdm.go.id by the PVMBG, compiled every six hours from 00:00 to 06:00 WIB on Saturday (5/9), the weather was reported as cloudy to overcast, with light to moderate winds blowing towards the northwest.

“Visual observation: The volcano is clearly visible to being obscured by fog level 0-III. Crater smoke was not observed,” wrote volcano observer Rioboniek Situmorang in his report.