Pictured is the 1883 eruption of this south Pacific monster
A COLUMN By Frederick Sinclair
It was early on September 6, 2026, in the Sundra Strait, between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra, that Krakatua ; the King of all Volcanoes, awakened to once again impose its majesty over the Ring of Fire.
Indonesia is host to 40 -50 active volcanoes at any given time. These islands are created by molten lava under extreme pressure escaping to the surface through the cracks in the earth‘s crust, where tectonic plates of land masses meet. It was in 1883 that Krakatua erupted violently. Recently installed atmospheric pressure monitoring systems recorded the intense barometric pressure changes for thousands of miles. The shock wave travelled around the globe at least 4 times and was physically felt at least 7,000 miles away. Barometric instruments in the US recorded the events’ atmospheric pressure waves. This explosion of Krakatua in 1883 is recognized as the loudest and most distant sound ever recorded in history and the deadliest, with over 36,000 deaths and leading to global climatic effects. A cooling of the Earths’ surface occurred after millions of tons of sulfur dioxide gas and ash were injected into the stratosphere. The aerosol layer reflected solar radiation and disrupted weather patterns for five years with impacts from ocean cooling lingering for decades. Most of the massive volcano (70%) was literally blown up. The force of the explosion was calculated to have been 200 megatons of TNT or four times the force of the most powerful thermonuclear bomb ever detonated. Decibels were at 180, 100 miles away and 310 at 40 miles, where the eardrums of sailors were ruptured. The latest analysis of the explosion is that the eruption emptied the lava chamber and collapsed the remaining island into the chamber allowing cold ocean water to flow into contact with the lava and the resulting sealed chamber of lava and water/steam built up the pressures which contributed to most of the explosive force.
Over the next century, routine small eruptions emerged from what was left of the 1883 Krakatua caldera and a new cone was resurrected out of the water to a height of almost 1,000 feet. The new island volcano was renamed, Anak (child of) Krakatoa. In December of 2018 a powerful eruption ejected gas and ash to an altitude of 48,000 feet and triggered a landslide where an entire slope of the massive structure slid into the ocean. The resulting tsunami devastated the nearby islands of Java and Sumatra, resulting in 426 deaths and displaced over 16,000 people. Anak Krakatua was reduced from 1,000 feet in height to less than 400 in 2018 and has continued with periodic smaller events until recently.
On September 6, 2026 a massive eruption of Anak Krakatoa sent a plume, of ash and Sulfur Dioxide gas, beyond the height of the 2018 eruption to more than 50,000 feet into the stratosphere. Extreme electromagnetic buildup is causing continuous lightening within the volcanic cloud. Alert level three has been declared and 8 airports, schools and all fishing activities closed, in coastal areas of Java and Sumatra. A quieted eruption is continuing and experts are unsure if there may be more coming, given the past history of King Krakatua.
Our Earth is experiencing increased levels of weather extremes, as well as earthquake and volcanic activity in concert with strong solar storms, plasma streams, flairs and gravity currents from the Sun. The levels of charged particles and plasma around and in the earth are at historic highs and weather patterns are chaotic and strengthening. There has been flooding, landslides, powerful earthquakes and eruptions, all resulting in tragic loss of life and structure at the hands of Nature and Creation. Rhyme and reason are obscured by the mounting apparent chaos. The feel is not that of an apocalypse, however, but more of rapid acceleration, a slingshoting around the hairpin turn of the ages, dumping old ways and onto a straightaway for the Earth and Humanity, existing together.
Fred Sinclair is an Alfred NY writer, philosopher, and regular contributor to the Sun. You can reach him anytime, fpsinclair@yahoo.com
