Health concerns grow as volcanic ash spreads across Indonesia after eruption

By Tri Ardhya https://www. abc. net. au/news/2026-09-09/ash-impacting-indonesians-who-live-near-volcanic-mountain/107130458 Share article (ABC-Australia) Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has sent volcanic ash across parts of Java and Sumatra islands, disrupting thousands of flights, hundreds of thousands of travellers and impacting local communities. Indonesia’s Geological Agency said a 25-hour continuous eruption ended on Sunday, but smaller intermittent eruptions had continued and the likelihood of further eruptions “remains high”. A three-kilometre exclusion zone around the volcano remains in place. Jakarta’s main Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and four other airports reopened on Tuesday after winds cleared ash from surrounding areas.

More than 340,000 travellers, including Australians , and nearly 3,000 flights were affected by cancellations and delays, according to InJourney Airports that manages commercial airports across Indonesia. Ash ‘truly intense’ Ash has disrupted communities living nearby, such as in Lampung province, about 75 kilometres north-east of the volcano. Elizabeth Amelia, who lives in the city of Bandar Lampung, said she was concerned about the health of her two-year-old child and her 63-year-old mother. “I’m worried it could affect their breathing. If it’s inhaled too much, it could cause a respiratory infection,” Mrs Amelia said. She said her daughter and mother had not gone outside since the ash fall began, while she and her husband were wearing masks to go to work. She said she noticed what first looked like “rain” on Saturday night, before realising it was volcanic ash. “The ash was truly intense. You could really see the car windows, they were completely covered in ash, absolutely caked in it, not just a light dusting,” she said. She said…