September 13, 2026 | 08:32 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of social media users on Facebook [archive], TikTok, and Instagram have uploaded videos claiming to show the moments of the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. The content was shared following the volcano's activity between September 4 and 6, 2026.
The video shows lava flows and ash columns originating from the volcano in the Sunda Strait. Is the video genuinely a recording of the 2026 Anak Krakatau eruption?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the content using reverse image search tools and confirmation from credible sources. The results show that the footage documents the eruption of Anak Krakatau in 2018, not 2026.
Matching footage was published on November 6, 2018, on the YouTube channel of photographer and videographer Martin Rietze, who has documented volcanic eruptions for decades.
His work is cataloged on his website, Mrietze.com. The site details that his footage of the Anak Krakatau eruption was compiled during observations from Rakata Beach over three days, from October 24 to 26, 2018.
According to data from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), heightened activity at Anak Krakatau began in mid-June 2018, marked by seismic activity. The volcano erupted on June 29, 2018, and produced Strombolian eruptions through the end of that year.
The location of the eruptive center eight years ago also differs from the 2026 event. Previously, Head of the PVMBG Volcano Observation Team, Heruningtyas Desi Purnamasari, noted that the lava flow from the recent eruption emerged on the flank of the mountain. "The eruption center is close to the sea," Tyas said via WhatsApp message on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
CONCLUSION
The video of the lava flow during the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau in September 2026 is misleading. The video was recorded in October 2018, not September 2026.
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