Indonesia volcano eruption latest: Krakatau spews 4000ft ash cloud in latest explosion
INDONESIA’s volatile Anak Krakatau volcano continues to violently erupt, spewing an ash cloud 4,000 feet high today
Anak Krakatau: Volcano SPEWS lava during eruption
Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Darwin warned the latest activity at 5.55am GMT had reached flight levels. The ash cloud is currently moving at a rate of 5kts in a south-westerly direction, according to Volcano Discovery. The worrying development comes after two-thirds of the volcano collapsed, triggering a devastating tsunami on December 22. At least 429 people were killed on the islands of Sumatra and Java after the volcanic activity caused an underwater landslide generating huge waves.
People on the beach were caught unawares with many being swept to their deaths.
About 150 people are still missing, while thousands of people have lost their livelihoods in the dramatic wave.
Satellite images taken after the tsunami have captured the massive collapse of Anak Krakatau, which lost about 150 to 170 million cubic metres in the explosions.
The summit has lost a third of its size dropping to 110 metres high from its original height of 338m.
Anak Krakatau is no longer visible from the mainland, according to The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG).
Krakatau’s eruptions are expected to continue with experts suggesting activity could ramp up again in January.
There are increased fears of further huge landslides like the one seen, which could cause another tsunami.
Volcano Discovery wrote on January 5: “Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) published a worrying observation: new cracks were discovered that run through the remaining island.
“It is feared that these could be precursory signs of new, potentially large-scale landslide events that could in turn trigger another tsunami.
“According to the Head of BMKG, Dwikorita Karnawati, there are two new cracks in a straight line on one side of the Anak Krakatau island, possibly caused by the continuous shaking of the island due to the violent explosions occurring during the past 2 weeks since the catastrophic landslide on 22 Dec.”
How long has Anak Krakatau been erupting for?
Anak Krakatau has been erupting for years since being formed in 1927 from the remnants of Krakatoa.
But activity ramped up in 2018 after it entered into a new eruptive phase.
The volcano, which sits on the notorious Ring of Fire, is one of four islands formed from previous volcano explosions between Java and Sumatra.
Indonesia has the third most volcanoes in the world at 166 after the United States and Russia.
Visitors and locals are currently banned from going within a 5km radius of the crater.