Krakatau: Exoticism in the middle of sea

Mon, 11/16/2009 2:34 PM  |  Special Report

Mount Anak Krakatau is situated in the Sunda Strait. Administratively, it lies within South Lampung regency. The volcano lies in the middle of the sea and stands 350 meters above sea level.

It is known as Anak Krakatau, or Krakatau's Child, as it emerged after Mt. Krakatau Purba, erupted several times until completely disappearing more than 100 years ago.

The Javanese Book of Kings described Mt. Krakatau as having stood 2,000 meters above sea level, and having a radius of 11 kilometers. It had three craters - Danan crater (450 meters above sea level), Perbuatan crater (120 meters) and Rakata crater (830 meters).

Mt. Krakatau erupted on Aug. 27, 1883. The series of massive eruptions were reported to have been 10,000 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945. The eruptions were followed by plumes of ash that spread over an area of 800,000 square kilometers.

The quake triggered by the 1883 eruption was felt in Singapore and as far away as Australia and spawned a 30-meter high tsunami that struck Merak, Banten, and Telukbetung, Lampung, claiming around 36,000 lives.

Following the eruption, the Danan and Perbuatan craters vanished leaving only Rakata crater. However, in 1927 a new volcano emerged, Mt. Anak Krakatau.

Two mountains and two islands are now found on the site of the former Mt. Krakatau Purba - Mt. Anak Krakatau and Mt. Rakata, and Sertung and Panjang islands.

The mountain grows at a rate of 1 centimeter every day and has now reached 300 meters with a diameter of 2 kilometers. Anak Krakatau is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia.

In 1919, the Dutch colonial administration designated Krakatau Islands as a natural preserve spanning 2,400 hectares. On Feb. 26, 1990, the forestry minister extended the area of the natural preserve to 13,773 hectares.

Following a 1990 law on natural resources and ecosystem conservation, Anak Krakatau was declared a natural conservation area.

From the country's independence until the late 1980s, the Krakatau Nature Preserve was managed by the Ujung Kulon National Park. On May 3, 1990, its management was handed over to the Lampung branch of the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA).

The Lampung BKSDA and provincial administration later established two nearby islands, Sebesi and Sebuku, as buffer zones. Both islands are inhabited by fishing communities.

The Krakatau Islands Nature Preserve has a rich ecosystem.

Krakatau experts have hypothesized that the massive 1883 eruption completely sterilized the area by destroying virtually all living things. The current vegetation can be traced back to the eruption.

The area is considered a botanical and zoological paradise because of its abundant species of ferns, birds, fish and coral reefs.

Mt. Anak Krakatau became famous not because of its height but its interesting history and exoticism in the middle of the sea. It is geologically and ecologically unique as it lies in the middle of the sea and is geologically self-destructing.

The 1883 eruption is still a current topic of discussion as well as a selling point for the Lampung and Banten tourist boards.

When it actively spewed lava and volcanic ash in 2007, foreign visitors came in droves to watch the rare spectacle.

- Oyos Saroso H.N.

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