VIDEO: Lava fountains, booming sounds heard after Indonesia's Anak Krakatoa volcano erupts; over 200 flights grounded

Indonesia's Anak Krakatoa volcano erupted early Sunday, resulting in the cancellation of several flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as ash spewed across the western part of the country. Following the eruption, a fountain of lava was seen and booming sounds were heard up to 700 km (435 miles) away from the Anak Krakatoa volcano.

Multiple videos of the volcanic eruption have surfaced on social media, showing a fountain of lava coming out of the volcanic mountain along with booming sounds. The volcanology agency warned that Indonesia witnessed two new eruptions on Sunday. After ash from the volcano was detected in the airspace surrounding Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, officials announced a suspension of operations from 01:30 am Sunday (Saturday 1830 GMT).

"The latest paper test...showed positive results indicating the spread of volcanic ash in the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport area; consequently, the airport closure was extended until Sunday at 09:30 am (0230 GMT)," the transport ministry said in a statement Sunday. The suspension of the flights was later extended by four hours due to increased eruptive activity.

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Over 22,000 passengers affected

The transportation ministry stated that over 22,000 passengers have been impacted by the suspension, as 209 flights were affected, particularly to and from Singapore, due to the volcanic eruption. Other major affected international routes included Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur.

Local airport authorities also reported that at least 16 domestic flights to Bali were cancelled. Anak Krakatoa, meaning "Child of Krakatoa", is located in the strait separating Java and Sumatra. Port authorities stated that ships navigating the strait should exercise heightened caution due to potential disruptions from volcanic activity, and are barred from entering the 3-kilometre exclusion zone around the volcano.

The volcano has experienced intermittent activity since it first emerged from the sea in the early 1900s, forming within the caldera left by the catastrophic 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa, one of history's deadliest and most destructive volcanic disasters, which killed an estimated 35,000 people. Indonesia, an archipelago nation in Southeast Asia, lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region marked by frequent volcanic and seismic activity due to the convergence of tectonic plates.