Flights to and from Indonesia’s capital resume after volcanic eruption forced a 2-day closure

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Flights to and from Indonesia’s capital and nearby regions resumed Tuesday after ash from a volcanic eruption forced two days of airport closures that halted nearly 3,000 flights.

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Halim Perdanakusuma Airport serving Jakarta and three other regional airports reopened just after midnight, Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said. Two resumed normal operations by late morning after one reopened Monday.

Purwagandhi said the airports were allowed to resume operations only after authorities determined conditions were safe for aviation. He said airport authorities and airlines were required to inspect all aircraft before flights resumed.

“Pilots and flight crews were also instructed to remain aware of restricted airspace zones established around areas affected by volcanic ash,” Purwagandhi said. Aviation authorities temporarily restrict aircraft from areas where ash has been detected because volcanic particles can damage engines and other critical systems.

The continuous eruption of Anak Krakatau with lava fountains and loud booms ended Sunday but the volcanic island remained active Tuesday morning. Eruptions were reported at 5:08 a.m. and 5:34 a.m., though the height of the ash column could not be observed due to fog and weather conditions.

The airport closures Sunday and Monday disrupted nearly 2,961 flights, including 622 international services, and affected about 341,000 passengers.

The government also authorized schools in areas affected by volcanic ash to shift temporarily to online learning to reduce students’ exposure to ash.

Anak Krakatau is a volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between Indonesia’s main islands of Java and Sumatra. Its name means “child of Krakatau,” and the volcano is the offspring of the infamous Krakatau, whose monumental 1883 eruption triggered a period of global cooling.

An eruption of Anak Krakatau in 2018 caused a tsunami that killed at least 430 people in Sumatra and Java. Researchers believe volcanic activity triggered an underwater landslide and caused a large chunk of Anak Krakatau’s southwest slope to collapse and displace a large volume of water.

The volcano remained at Indonesia’s second-highest alert level since July, and authorities advised residents, tourists and fishermen to stay at least 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from the active crater.

Indonesia has more than 120 active volcanoes and frequently experiences eruptions due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the ring of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most global seismic activity occurs.

In this drone photo released by the Geological Agency (Badan Geologi) of Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mount Anak Krakatau spews volcanic smoke in Sunda Strait, Indonesia, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (Badan Geologi via AP)

In this drone photo released by the Geological Agency (Badan Geologi) of Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mount Anak Krakatau spews volcanic smoke in Sunda Strait, Indonesia, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (Badan Geologi via AP)

A man walks past an information board showing cancelled flights due to the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Indonesia, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

A technician measures the seismic readings from the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau at an observation post in Pasauran, Banten province, Indonesia, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Dziki Oktomauliyadi)

People wait as flights are disrupted due to the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Indonesia, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green closed schools and government offices on the westernmost islands of Kauai and Niihau and on Oahu for Tuesday as Hurricane Lowell was expected to pass nearby, bringing damaging winds, mudslides, possible tornadoes, dangerous rip currents and as much as 24 inches (about 60 centimeters) of rain to some areas on Kauai.

The closures, which include community colleges and state and county offices, were put into effect for Oahu and Kauai County, which was under a hurricane warning issued by the National Hurricane Center. Kauai County includes the major islands of Kauai, which has a population of over 73,000, and Niihau, where there are fewer than 100 residents.

A portion of the vast Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument was also included in the warning.

The weather agency also warned late Monday of the possibility of “several tornadoes” near Kauai and Niihau in the evening and overnight, with tornadoes also possible on other Hawaiian Islands.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for Oahu, which has close to 1 million residents.

The National Hurricane Center said the core of the storm was expected to pass near or just west of Niihau late Monday and early Tuesday. While the winds — which were strong enough to make Lowell a Category 2 hurricane as of Monday afternoon — were expected to weaken, the storm was expected to remain a hurricane at its closest approach to the islands.

“Closing offices, schools and courts will help keep people off the roads during dangerous conditions and allow emergency crews to focus on protecting our communities,” Green said in a news release. “I urge everyone in Kaua'i County to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and follow all official emergency instructions.”

He also urged residents to stay away from shorelines, avoid driving through floodwaters, prepare for power outages and monitor for updates.

Isolated rainfall totals of up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) were expected in Oahu and Maui, and 12 inches (30 centimeters) was expected in portions of the Big Island of Hawaii, the farthest east of the state's major islands.

Last month, the state had a brush with Tropical Storm Lala. While it did not make landfall, it hit Hawaii — and especially the Big Island — hard, leaving behind landslides, washing away about 100 homes and causing widespread power outages.

This satellite image released by NOAA shows Hurricane Lowell approaching Hawaii, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (NOAA via AP)