Krakatoa Volcanic Ash Spreading Widely: Tracking the Movement

The Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is tightening cross-sector coordination to anticipate the impact of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau on the safety of civil flight paths.

The Head of the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG), Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati, explained that airspace monitoring is being conducted intensively through the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) system, which is accessible to the public via the MAGMA Indonesia application.

“For the Indonesian region, we are utilising VONA orange to red alerts, which indeed require attention. The information we display on MAGMA regarding flight information combines Himawari satellite imagery, as previously mentioned by Ms Kaban, and data from the Volcanic Ash Advisory station in Darwin,” said Siti Sumilah on Sunday (6/9/2026).

Analysis of Ash Dispersion Across Altitudes

Based on updated data as of 10:30 WIB, the PVMBG has mapped the distribution of volcanic ash into several atmospheric altitude layers:

• Upper Layer (approximately 50,000 feet): Dense ash plumes have been observed detaching from the active crater and drifting southwest across the Indian Ocean.

• Middle Layer (approximately 20,000 feet): Active ash emissions continue from the crater vent and are being carried by dominant winds towards the west.

• Other Middle Layers (approximately 20,000 feet): Fine dust residue from previous eruption phases was observed shifting east towards the southern waters of the Sunda Strait.

Mitigation and Health Advisories

In addition to flight safety, the Geological Agency continues to coordinate intensively with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and other relevant agencies to ensure the protection of civilians in affected areas.

Siti Sumilah emphasised the importance of educating communities in high-risk areas to use protective masks with discipline. Very fine volcanic ash particles are considered potentially hazardous to health, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and pregnant women.