Anak Krakatau, the volcanic island in Indonesia, erupted for over a day in early September, sending a column of ash roughly 50,000 feet into the sky. The event was powerful enough to be captured by NASA satellites, which tracked the spreading plume.
The ash cloud had immediate practical consequences: eight airports were shut down, and close to 3,000 flights were disrupted. Air quality declined even in Jakarta, hundreds of miles away, as the fine volcanic material drifted with the winds.
This episode highlights how a single volcanic eruption can ripple through regional travel and public health. The combination of a long-lasting eruption and high ash ejection made the impact unusually widespread.