Krakatau Child Erupts Again, How Is Preparedness to Face the Disaster?

Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK) in the Sunda Strait erupted again. At least, there were three eruptions from October 5-9, 2026, with peak activity on October 9 with around 26 eruptions. Previously, GAK experienced its first eruption on September 5, following an eruption eight years earlier that caused a tsunami in parts of Banten. Some monitoring devices were disrupted by the eruption. The monitoring disruption also worsened with the loss of eight batteries at Station LAVA93, on the north side of Mount Anak Krakatau. Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati, Head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), said that the Geological Agency will strengthen and adjust the monitoring system based on technical needs and field evaluation results. Trinirmalaningrum, Director of the Skala Indonesia Foundation, said that one of the problems in disaster preparedness in Indonesia is the tendency to build preparedness as a system and document but it has not yet become the human ability to act. Investing in disaster risk reduction is not just about tools and technology. Monitoring and early warning systems are still necessary, but effectiveness depends on the humans who understand that information and are able to act. Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK) in the Sunda Strait erupted again. At least, there were three eruptions from October 5-9, 2026, with peak activity on October 9 with around 26 eruptions. Previously, GAK experienced its first eruption on September 5, following an eruption eight years earlier that caused a tsunami in parts of Banten. Two days after the eruption that caused volcanic ash to several areas of Banten, Lampung, and Jabodetabek, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) detected sea level anomalies around GAK on September 7, 2026. The anomaly also occurred on the same day when the fast ship KM Arupadatu I, carrying five journalists and three crew members, lost contact while attempting to cover the volcanic activity of Anak Krakatau. Semeidi Husrin, Researcher at the Center for Geological Hazard Research (BRIN), said that monitoring data showed a relatively strong sea level anomaly around the Mount Anak Krakatau complex during the morning and afternoon of September 7. The anomaly was also detected on Sebesi Island, although the intensity was weaker. "We did see a relatively strong sea level anomaly around Anak Krakatau and it appeared to weaken on Sebesi Island," he said when Mongabay interviewed him in September. Nevertheless, this finding is not enough to conclude the cause of the phenomenon. Supporting data around Anak Krakatau are still limited until BRIN gathers information from various sources, including volcanology and altimetry satellite data. Semeidi explained that the anomaly appeared when a high tide was expected. However, the rise in sea level that should have been visible during that period did not appear as a normal tide pattern. The limitation of data is a challenge in itself because monitoring the activity of Anak Krakatau also faces disruptions to a number of devices. Damaged and Lost Equipment Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati, Head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), said that some monitoring devices were disrupted by the eruption. "There are indeed some devices that have been disrupted due to the eruption. However, the monitoring of Mount Anak Krakatau still takes place through several complementary stations and observation methods, so the volcano's activity can still be evaluated," she told Mongabay recently. The Geological Agency is still monitoring the volcano's activity and evaluating the available data. Direct inspection of the equipment's condition will be carried out when volcanic activity and sea conditions are calmer. She said that the safety of the officers is the main consideration in that inspection. "The direct inspection of the equipment's condition will be carried out when volcanic activity and sea conditions are calmer, considering the safety of the officers is a priority." Monitoring disruption also worsened with the loss of eight batteries at Station LAVA93, on the north side of Mount Anak Krakatau. The batteries that store energy from solar panels to supply electricity to the sensors and monitoring devices were lost when the Geological Agency team inspected on September 27, after the station experienced data transmission disruption since September 16. The inspection also found damage to 11 solar panels that were part of the power supply system. As a result, a number of devices could not operate normally and data transmission to the monitoring posts was disrupted. In the future, the Geological Agency will strengthen and adjust the monitoring system based on technical needs and field evaluations. Regarding the budget, the Geological Agency said that their management and prioritization are done so that monitoring, equipment maintenance, and disaster information services can continue. As of September 21, the Geological Agency lowered the status of Mount Anak Krakatau's volcanic activity from Level III (Alert) to Level II (Advisory) at 6:30 PM Western Indonesia Time. The status reduction after a thorough evaluation indicates that the volcanic activity of Anak Krakatau is expected to decrease until September 20. Seismic records showed one low-frequency earthquake and continuous tremors with an average amplitude of 2 mm. "The decrease in Anak Krakatau's activity is supported by deformation data showing a decrease (deflation)," said Lana Saria, Head of the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (KESDM) in her written statement. Despite the status reduction, the Geological Agency still prohibits the public, visitors, tourists, and hikers from entering the area within a two-kilometer radius of the center of Anak Krakatau's activity. The public in the areas of Banten and Lampung were also asked to remain vigilant about flying stones and rain. "The public can carry out their activities as usual by always following the instructions of the local BPBD," he said. Need for Preparedness Trinirmalaningrum, Director of the Skala Indonesia Foundation, said that one of the problems in disaster preparedness in Indonesia is the tendency to build preparedness as a system and document but it has not yet become the human ability to act. "One of our main weaknesses is that preparedness is often still built as a system and document but has not fully become the human ability to act," he said to Mongabay recently. Indonesia actually has various preparedness tools, from volcano monitoring, activity status, early warning systems, hazard maps, to contingency plans. However, the system does not automatically make the public ready to face disasters. "We actually have a lot of information. But the question is, when that information reaches the public, do they really know what to do?" he said. Rini, whose nickname is Sapaan Akrab, said that preparedness is not just about having sirens, applications, information boards, or plan documents. The public, he said, must understand the threat, know the evacuation routes, destinations, who to contact, and what actions to take when the situation changes. Information must also be conveyed through channels that are easily accessible and understood by the public. "Information must reach the public in a language that is easy to understand, through the channels they use and trust," he said. According to Rini, there is still a gap between information and action. The public may know about the change in volcano status from normal to alert, standby, warning. However, knowing that status does not necessarily make the public understand what they should do. The question is not just about the volcano's status, but when the public should start preparing, when they should leave home. "What things need to be brought, where to evacuate, who is responsible for ensuring all residents have left the danger zone." The public needs action guidance. Therefore, early warnings must truly be warnings that lead to action. "The public must understand what to do if the status changes," he said. Do Not Stop at Tools Preparedness, Rini said, cannot only belong to the government or disaster agencies. The public is the party closest to the location when a disaster occurs. Local governments need time to mobilize resources. Rescue teams also need time to arrive at the location. Meanwhile, the public is already there and has the potential to be the first to save their families, help neighbors, search for victims, or find missing residents. "Therefore, the capacity of the community must be the main foundation," he said. Rini assessed that the community needs to be a subject in preparedness, not just a recipient of aid. The government, he said, still has responsibility for the system, policies, facilities, resources, coordination, and protection of the community. However, the system must be connected to the community's ability to act. "The government builds the system. The government provides information and facilities. But the community must be strengthened as the main actors in preparedness." This strengthening, Rini said, does not mean eliminating the preparedness mechanisms that grow in the community. In some areas, the community has its own ways of facing disaster threats. He gave the example of the community in Hitu and Amahi, Maluku, who built evacuation sites on hills and prepared food supplies. In his opinion, such practices need to be strengthened by the government without eliminating the preparedness culture that has developed in the community. How to Anticipate Disasters? Local governments also need to build cross-sectoral preparedness. It is not enough for the BPBD to have plans. The Health Office, Education Office, Social Office, and even those managing the economic sector must know their roles when a disaster occurs. In addition, there must be gradual training. Local governments, Rini said, can start with tabletop exercises (TTX) based on contingency plans. Then, each office should go to the village or village level to conduct exercises before all government agencies practice together with the community. "The government's training is by conducting tabletop exercises, and every area with a disaster threat must have a contingency plan," he said. Training is important because preparedness cannot be built when a disaster has already happened. The public needs to know from the beginning what to bring, what documents to save, what medicines are needed. Also evacuation routes, evacuation locations, and who will help vulnerable groups such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and children. "All these questions must be answered before the disaster happens. Because when the mountain erupts, when the ash falls, when panic occurs, the time to learn is very limited," he said. Rini said that investing in disaster risk reduction is not just about tools and technology. Monitoring and early warning systems are still necessary, but effectiveness depends on the humans who understand the information and are able to act. "The biggest investment must be in humans. Humans who understand the risk. Humans who have access to correct information. Humans who have the facilities to act. Humans who have trained before the disaster comes," he said.