New islands appear after Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano erupts
Two new islands have emerged near Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano following a significant eruption last month. Scientists are currently monitoring the formations to determine if they are permanent or temporary deposits of volcanic material.
Why it matters
The emergence of new landmasses in a volatile volcanic region highlights ongoing geological activity that can impact regional aviation and maritime safety.
Two new islands have emerged in the waters surrounding Mount Anak Krakatau following a major eruption last month that grounded flights for days, the Head of Indonesia's Volcano Monitoring Agency said on Friday (October 2, 2026).
The islands were spotted in satellite images of the water-filled caldera in which Anak Krakatau stands, Rita Susilawati of the PVMBG Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation told AFP .
"Based on an evaluation of Sentinel satellite imagery, two formations resembling small islands can be seen around Mount Anak Krakatau" in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, she added.
Sentinel is a fleet of Earth observation spacecraft developed by the European Space Agency.
One of the islands was located about 760 metres northwest of Mount Anak Krakatau, the other about 495 metres southwest.
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