How Far Did the Rumble of Mount Anak Krakatau's Eruption Reach?

September 5, 2026 | 07:31 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The rumbling and vibrations heard by some residents in West Java, Banten, and Lampung on Friday night to Saturday morning, September 4-5, 2026, were not mysterious. The rumbling and vibrations that were discussed on social media were caused by the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait.

"We suspect that it is indeed related to the eruption activity of Mount Anak Krakatau that occurred at the same time (as the rumbling and vibrations)," said the Head of the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati, in a virtual press conference on Saturday, September 5, 2026.

According to Rita, a similar phenomenon had occurred during the eruptions of several volcanoes in Indonesia. She cited reports from residents in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi who heard rumbling sounds on April 11, 2020, which were also related to the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau.

"We tried to match the timing in 2020, and it indeed corresponded to the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau on April 10, 2020, at 21:58 and 22:35 WIB (Western Indonesia Time)," she said.

Rita added that this suspicion was strengthened by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)'s report, which stated that there were no significant tectonic earthquakes in West Java, Banten, or Lampung during that time period.

Rita explained that the simultaneous timing was an indication of correlation. However, it did not definitively prove identification of the rumbling's source. She continued, "But the propagation of eruption sounds over a long distance is a phenomenon that may occur."

Rita also cited the explosive eruption of Mount Kelud in East Java on February 13, 2014. The rumbling sound was heard as far as Yogyakarta and Central Java, which are relatively far from the volcano on the border of Kediri, Blitar, and Malang.

"During the eruption of Mount Kelud, with a column of 17 kilometers, it released a very large amount of acoustic energy. So, based on the data we have, including the literature we obtained, there is a possibility that eruptions can be heard at a considerable distance," she said.

When a volcano erupts, Rita explained, the focus is not only on the eruption's strength but also its type. Rita said that Mount Anak Krakatau's lava fountain eruption is usually accompanied by loud rumbling sounds.

"When that happens, the release of its acoustic energy can be very large, and this acoustic energy can spread over hundreds of kilometers," she added. "There have been studies investigating this, and it can be heard in some distant areas."

Rita stated that the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau, which was the source of the rumbling and roaring sounds heard in the Banten, West Java, and Lampung regions, specifically originated from the eruption that occurred on Friday night, September 4, 2026, at 22:17 WIB.

The eruption was reported to be ongoing until Saturday morning, when the press conference was held. "We are still monitoring the ongoing eruption at Anak Krakatau Volcano," she said.

Rita said that the current eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau had not posed any imminent danger that required a change in the volcano's activity status. The status of Anak Krakatau remained at Alert Level III, and the danger zone remained within a 3-kilometer radius of the volcanic activity center.

"So, please pay attention to the 3-kilometer radius, which is indeed dangerous and could be caused by the eruption of incandescent lava," she said.

Read: Will Mount Anak Krakatau Eruption Trigger Tsunamis? BNPB Assures It Won't

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

Mount Anak Krakatau Eruption Brings Light Ashfall to Banten Coast

36 menit lalu

Today's Top 3 News: Mount Anak Krakatau Erupts, 6 Volcanoes Erupt on Aug. 31

4 jam lalu

Will Mount Anak Krakatau Eruption Trigger Tsunamis? BNPB Assures It Won't

9 jam lalu

Mount Anak Krakatau Erupts Overnight, Spews Lava Fountains

12 jam lalu

Are Indonesia's 6 Volcano Eruptions on Aug. 31 Linked? PVMBG Explains

3 hari lalu

Mount Anak Krakatau Erupts 13 Times on Wednesday

10 hari lalu

Mount Anak Krakatau Erupts Six Times in a Single Morning

12 hari lalu

Mount Anak Krakatau Spews Incandescent Lava in Recent Eruption

13 hari lalu

Mount Anak Krakatau Erupts 8 Times, Ejects Lava Up to 300 Meters

19 hari lalu

Indonesia Debunks Hoax Video of Mount Anak Krakatau Eruption

5 Juli 2026