The Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) provided a firm clarification regarding a video circulating on social media showing a major eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. The video, which shows a volcanic eruption filmed from a boat, was confirmed not to be a recent event.
Acting Head of the Geological Agency, Lana Saria, stated that her team had conducted an in-depth verification of the recording. The results showed that the short video depicting a massive eruption accompanied by flashes of light did not align with monitoring data of the volcano located in the Sunda Strait.
According to official records, Mount Anak Krakatau has indeed shown volcanic activity, but its intensity is far lower than the narrative presented in the hoax video. Two eruptions were recorded in early July, where ash columns only reached a height of 200 meters from the peak, not a major eruption as seen in the viral video.
Regarding rumors about an expanded exclusion zone, Lana also denied reports claiming the danger radius had been increased to 5 kilometers. She emphasized that the status of Mount Anak Krakatau remains at Level III (Alert), with the recommended danger zone consistently maintained at a 3-kilometer radius from the eruption center.
The public, fishermen, and tourists are asked to remain vigilant but not panic when responding to various circulating rumors, particularly scientifically unfounded claims regarding tsunami potential. The Geological Agency urged citizens to refer only to information from official PVMBG channels and the MAGMA Indonesia application to obtain accurate and verified data.
