GeographyGS3+ GS1

Anak Krakatau Eruption Shuts Eight Indonesian Airports, Raises Tsunami Warning Concerns

Indian Express·2026-09-08· Read original

"Anak Krakatau Eruption Shuts Eight Indonesian Airports, Raises Tsunami Warning Concerns"

Prelims Facts

  • •Anak Krakatau is a composite stratovolcano located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, Indonesia; it emerged in 1927 within the caldera of the 1883 Krakatau eruption.
  • •The 1883 Krakatau eruption killed approximately 36,000 people, mostly from tsunami waves, and cooled global temperatures for years.
+4 more facts — sign up free to unlock

Key Terms

Composite Stratovolcano

a steep, explosive volcano built from alternating layers of lava and pyroclastic material

Flank Collapse

sudden failure of a volcano's outer slope into the sea, generating a tsunami without strong seismic warning

+4 more terms — sign up free to unlock

Study Note

BackgroundCore Concept

Background

The Sunda Strait, separating the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra, sits within the Circum-Pacific Belt, commonly called the Ring of Fire. This belt accounts for roughly 75% of the world's active volcanoes and is the most seismically and volcanically active zone on Earth. The intense activity results from the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, generating magma that drives explosive eruptions. Indonesia alone hosts over 130 active volcanoes, making it one of the most volcanically exposed nations on the planet.

The original Krakatau erupted catastrophically in 1883, generating massive tsunamis that killed approximately 36,000 people. Anak Krakatau (meaning 'Child of Krakatau') emerged from the sea in 1927, growing within the caldera left by that earlier event. It is classified as a composite stratovolcano: characterised by viscous lava, explosive eruptions, and alternating layers of lava and pyroclastic material. Composite volcanoes are steeper and more explosive than shield volcanoes, which are built from fluid basaltic lava and produce far less ash dispersal.

India's own active volcano, Barren Island, lies in the Andaman Sea approximately 140 km east of Port Blair (not Great Nicobar, a common misconception). It is India's only confirmed active volcano and sits within the same Indo-Australian subduction zone that drives activity across the broader region. Barren Island has erupted multiple times since 1991, most recently in the 2010s, and remains volcanically active. This shared geophysical setting means that major eruptions in the Sunda Strait region carry indirect relevance for India's own disaster preparedness posture.

The Topic Explained

A critical hazard that Anak Krakatau poses is flank collapse:

  • •the sudden failure of a large section of the volcano's outer slope into the sea. This mechanism caused a deadly tsunami in December 2018, when a collapsing flank displaced seawater and generated waves that struck the coasts of Banten and Lampung provinces, killing at least 430 people. The four-step mechanism works as follows: (1) magma intrusion or eruption destabilises the volcanic edifice
  • •(2) a large section of the flank slides rapidly into the sea
  • •(3) the displaced water mass generates a tsunami wave
  • •(4) the wave propagates outward with little warning time. Unlike earthquake-generated tsunamis, which produce measurable seismic waves that activate standard early-warning systems, volcanic flank-collapse tsunamis lack a strong seismic precursor. This makes them far harder to detect in time

Volcanic ash dispersal is a separate but equally significant hazard. …

Sign up free to read the full noteIncludes the rest of The Topic Explained and Current Context

Related PYQs

2018GS1 Prelims

Consider the following statements :

1.The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.

2.Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.

3.The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A1 only
B2 and 3
C3 only
D1 and 3
Sign up free to see the answer and explanation
2021GS3 Mains

Discuss the vulnerability of India to earthquake-related hazards, with examples and salient features of major disasters caused by earthquakes in different parts of India during the last three decades.

Sign up free to see the model answer
2021GS1 Mains

Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment.

Sign up free to see the model answer

Practice MCQs

Geographymedium

Consider the following statements about Barren Island volcano:

1.It is the only active volcano in Indian territory.

2.It is located approximately 140 km east of Great Nicobar Island.

3.It has erupted multiple times since 1991.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A1 only
B1 and 3 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
Sign up to check your answer & see the explanation
Geographymedium

Consider the following statements about Anak Krakatau:

1.It is located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.

2.It is classified as a shield volcano characterised by fluid basaltic lava.

3.The 2018 tsunami associated with it was caused by a volcanic flank collapse, not an earthquake.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
Sign up to check your answer & see the explanation
Geographyhard

Consider the following statements about volcanic flank-collapse tsunamis:

1.They produce a strong seismic signal that activates standard tsunami early-warning systems.

2.The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre in Hyderabad was designed primarily to detect earthquake-generated tsunamis.

3.The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction calls for multi-hazard early-warning systems that cover volcanic tsunami triggers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
Sign up to check your answer & see the explanation
Geographymedium

Match the following volcanic/tsunami-related institutions with their correct descriptions:

1.Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre — (a) Located in Hyderabad; monitors seismic signals for tsunami alerts

2.Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) — (b) Operated under WMO; issue ash-cloud advisories to aviation

3.Sendai Framework — (c) 2015–2030 international agreement calling for multi-hazard early-warning systems

Which of the following matchings is correct?

A1-a, 2-b, 3-c
B1-b, 2-a, 3-c
C1-a, 2-c, 3-b
D1-c, 2-b, 3-a
Sign up to check your answer & see the explanation
Geographymedium

Which of the following correctly describes the geophysical setting of the Sunda Strait region?

AIt lies on the boundary of the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, producing frequent subduction-zone volcanism.
BIt results from the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, driving magma generation and explosive volcanism.
CIt is a divergent plate boundary where the Indo-Australian Plate and the African Plate are moving apart, creating rift volcanoes.
DIt lies on a transform fault boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Plate, producing strike-slip earthquakes but minimal volcanism.
Sign up to check your answer & see the explanation

Want the full note, Prelims Facts & MCQ answers?

Create a free account — takes less than a minute.

Create free account