Indonesia reduces Mount Anak Krakatau alert to Level II after eruptive slowdown

Indonesia's Geological Agency announced on Monday that Mount Anak Krakatau's alert level was reduced to Level II after a noticeable decline in volcanic activity. The volcano had been issuing frequent ash plumes that reached Greater Jakarta and prompted the temporary shutdown of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and other regional airports. Between early July and early September, the volcano produced 224 eruptions, including a continuous 25-hour eruptive episode that generated lava flows moving toward the northwest, west, and southwest.

The continuous eruptions ceased at midnight on September 20, and seismic records showed only a single low-frequency earthquake with tremors averaging 2 mm. Satellite observations and deformation measurements indicated a deflation of the volcanic edifice, supporting the downgrade. Authorities continue to prohibit access within a 2-kilometre radius of the crater and will reassess the alert if activity changes.