BMKG declares eight reopened airports safe from volcanic ash

indonesianupdates.com_admin

3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) confirmed that eight airports earlier closed due to the Anak Krakatau eruption are now safe from volcanic ash.

BMKG Chairperson Teuku Faisal Fathani said that his side is conducting regular paper tests at the airports, including their runways, to complement data from satellite imagery and aviation meteorology in determining their safety.

“The paper test results at 6 a.m. showed negative results for volcanic ash exposure at the eight airports that were previously closed,” Fathani said in his remarks on Tuesday.

As the airports were found safe from volcanic ash, air traffic operator AirNav Indonesia issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) announcing the gradual reopening of the airports on Tuesday morning.

Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Tangerang resumed operation at 12:30 a.m. local time, while Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta reopened at 12:40 a.m., and Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung commenced service at 12:42 a.m.

Meanwhile, Budiarto Airport in Tangerang reopened at 1:25 a.m., and Pondok Cabe Airport in South Tangerang resumed operation at 1:28 a.m.

In the southern part of Sumatra, Taufiq Kiemas Airport in Pesisir Barat District was reopened at 9:31 a.m., and Radin Inten II Airport in Lampung resumed operation at 9:45 a.m.

The airport closest to Anak Krakatau, Salakanegara Airport in Banten’s Tanjung Lesung region, was declared safe and was reopened at 9:50 a.m.

Meanwhile, BMKG Deputy for Meteorology Andri Ramdhani said volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau was moving at an altitude of up to 7,000 feet in a south-southwestern direction, covering parts of northwestern Banten at a speed of 5–10 knots.

The agency is coordinating with aviation authorities and airport operators to ensure the airspace is safe for commercial flights and disaster mitigation operations.

“The weather observation around Anak Krakatau and the Sunda Strait is relatively clear to partly cloudy from the morning until the evening,” Ramdhani noted.