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Mount Anak Krakatau, the active volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between the
Mount Anak Krakatau, the active volcanic island in the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra, entered a major eruptive phase late on 4 September 2026 that lasted approximately 25 hours. The episode produced sustained lava fountains, incandescent flows visible from the mainland coast, and a column of gas and ash that rose high into the atmosphere. Authorities closed eight airports as a precaution, disrupting the travel plans of more than 340,000 passengers. Ashfall settled across parts of Jakarta and the wider West Java region. The volcano has been held at Indonesia's third-highest alert level since July. Anak Krakatau—literally the child of Krakatau—grew from the seabed within the caldera left by the catastrophic 1883 eruption and has erupted periodically ever since. Residents and mariners were advised to keep a safe distance from the island. For people living near active volcanoes, how do communities prepare for—and live alongside—the possibility of sudden eruptions?