KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — The risk of volcanic ash from Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau reaching Malaysia is currently low, although changes in wind direction and speed as well as possible further eruptions could affect its movement, MetMalaysia said today.
Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said current wind conditions and monitoring of the ash showed that the plume was mainly concentrated around the Sunda Strait and nearby areas of Indonesia, BuletinTV3 reported.
“MetMalaysia will continue to monitor the situation using satellite data and atmospheric analysis.
“Information from global Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) also allows any potential movement of the ash into Malaysian airspace to be identified and communicated to the public promptly,” he said.
Earlier, media reports said continued eruptions from Anak Krakatau since Friday had spread volcanic ash and prompted six airports to suspend flight operations.
The disruption also affected domestic and international flights, including routes linking Jakarta with Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul/Incheon, Doha and Amsterdam.
On the potential impact if the ash reaches Malaysia, Mohd Hisham said the biggest concern would be disruption to domestic and international flight operations.
He said volcanic eruptions were monitored by VAACs under the supervision of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“If the information received indicates a potential impact on Malaysian airspace, MetMalaysia will issue volcanic ash threat warnings or advisories to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), airline operators and airport operators,” he said.
Mohd Hisham also clarified that the reduced visibility currently experienced, particularly in Sarawak and parts of the western peninsula, was caused by transboundary haze and not volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau.
