Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano erupted in a spectacular fashion on Friday, personifying what many of us on lockdown probably feel like doing some days. And although it’s best you weren’t anywhere near it, you can see the eruption in these amazing videos and marvel at the power of Mother Nature.
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Per the Jakarta Post, the first eruption began in the Lampung province on Friday night at 9:58 p.m. local time and released a 656-feet-high column of ash and smoke, lasting one minute and twelve seconds. A second eruption followed at 10:35 p.m., spewing out a column of ash 1,640-feet-high, and persisting for 38 minutes and four seconds. The Post reported that Indonesia’s National Disaster Agency said that the eruption continued until Saturday morning.
This isn’t the first time Anak Krakatau has erupted over the years, and is in fact one of many. However, one of the most notable and terrible eruptions occurred in 2018. That year, the volcano erupted and created a landslide and tsunami that struck Indonesia’s Sunda Straight without warning. The event killed 437 and left thousands injured along the coast.
No causalities were reported as a result of this eruption. Nonetheless, the Post reported that some residents living on the coast evacuated after receiving warning from officials.
In videos of the eruption, you can see a close-up view of the volcano via a webcam on the island. The first video, which is explained by Volcano Discovery, is a time-lapse that shows the eruption from beginning to end. It begins with plumes of smoke and magma before suddenly shifting to explosions, lava bombs (molten rocks ejected from the volcano) and lava fountains. It is pretty cool to watch, although also terrifying.
Another video, taken by a camera at a nearby observatory, shows what the eruption looked like from the coast. This one doesn’t have as much action as the first one, although you can make out the plumes of smoke.
Anak Krakatau means “Child of Kratakau,” a reference to the fact that it emerged from the caldera of the famous Krakatau volcano. In 1883, Krakatau erupted and caused global devastation, killing 36,000 people. According to Volcano Discovery, the majority of people died because of the huge tsunamis triggered by the eruption. In addition, the eruption also triggered a period of global cooling.