The volcanic activity of Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait has returned to the spotlight after a series of eruptions occurred on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. This event took place just a few hours after a magnitude 5.3 tectonic earthquake shook the waters of Banten at 02:44 WIB.
Despite occurring close in time, the Head of the Volcano Working Team of the Geological Agency, Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari, firmly dismissed any causal link between the earthquake and the eruptive activity. According to her, the escalation of Mount Anak Krakatau's activity had been monitored since early June 2026, long before the earthquake occurred.
"This increase in activity has been observed since June 1, starting from sulfur dioxide emissions, thermal anomalies, to the appearance of hotspots in the crater. All of these signs point to the internal dynamics of the magma system and shallow gas within the volcano itself," Heruningtyas explained.
Based on data from the Magma website of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mount Anak Krakatau was recorded to have erupted several times throughout Wednesday morning until afternoon. The eruptions spewed volcanic ash columns with heights varying between 100 and 250 meters to the northwest, with significant thickness intensity.
On the other hand, the earthquake that shook Banten was centered at sea at a distance of 62 kilometers southwest of Sumur with a depth of 43 kilometers. BMKG reported that the earthquake had an intensity scale of IV MMI in the Sumur area, which was felt strongly enough by local residents, but was confirmed to have no potential to cause a tsunami.
Currently, Mount Anak Krakatau remains at Level III (Alert). The Geological Agency recommends that the public, fishermen, and tourists refrain from any activities within a 3-kilometer radius of the active crater to avoid the risk of ejected volcanic materials and dangerous gases.
