A volcanic eruption has halted hundreds of flights at Indonesia's main international airport, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.

Authorities said 209 flights were suspended after ash from Anak Krakatau was detected in airspace near Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday morning.

The volcano had started erupting late on Friday night, generating continuous seismic activity, lava fountains, and booming sounds across surrounding regions. Two more eruptions happened early on Sunday, authorities said.

More than 22,000 people have been impacted by the suspension of flights, which has been extended until 13:30 (0630 GMT).

The transport ministry said the pause in operations mainly affected flights to and from Singapore, also other international routes including Doha, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.

Authorities have confirmed there is no tsunami warning linked to the recent activity of the volcano, which is in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra.

The health minister has urged residents in affected areas to stay indoors and wear face masks to protect against respiratory, eye, and skin risks.

According to local newspaper Kompas, several schools cancelled activities on Saturday after students and residents reported eye irritations from the ash, while some fishermen had cancelled fishing trips at sea similarly reporting sore eyes.

Flights to and from Singapore - as well as Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur - have been disrupted [Getty Images]
Flights to and from Singapore - as well as Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur - have been disrupted [Getty Images]

One resident, Aldi Candra Prayogi, told the outlet that he felt since Friday evening and it felt like "small grains of sand had gotten into my eyes", and that he needs to use eye drops to ease the irritation.

The dust is so thick that he has to sweep the front yard of his house every five minutes, he also said.

Anak Krakatau, which means Child of Krakatoa, has been sporadically active since it emerged from the sea at the beginning of last century in the caldera formed after the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa.

The volcano - also known as Anak Krakatoa - collapsed in December 2018, triggering a huge tsunami which killed over 400 people, and displaced and injured thousands more on the nearby coastlines of Sumatra and Java.

Scientists found that some of the chunks of rock that slid from the volcano when it collapsed were about 70-90m high.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where there is high volcanic and seismic activity because of a line of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.

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