TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A video claiming to show the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau circulated on Instagram [archive], Facebook, Threads, TikTok, and X in early July 2026.
The footage shows a person filming from a Merak-Bakauheni ferry at night. The recording depicts visuals resembling a volcanic eruption, featuring red glowing light and plumes of clouds being ejected into the air.
However, does the video truly show an eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau?
FACT CHECK
Tempo's Fact Check Team verified the content using direct analysis methods, artificial intelligence detection tools, and comparisons with information from credible sources.
The findings show that although Mount Anak Krakatau did experience minor eruptions, the video circulating on social media contains indications of artificial intelligence-generated elements.
Indonesia's Geological Agency under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) previously announced an increase in the volcano's activity on July 2, 2026, at 04:30 PM Western Indonesia Time.
The volcano's alert status was raised from Level II (Alert) to Level III (Standby) after authorities evaluated intensified seismic activity and volcanic emissions that had persisted from mid-June to early July 2026.
Following the status upgrade, the Geological Agency advised the public not to conduct activities within a three-kilometer radius of the volcano's center of activity.
Nevertheless, the agency emphasized that the dramatic eruption footage allegedly recorded from a ferry does not match conditions on the ground.
"Following verification, the video is not footage of the current eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. Therefore, the information is a hoax (false)," the Geological Agency said in a written statement issued on July 4, 2026.
According to the agency's latest monitoring records, Mount Anak Krakatau experienced only two minor eruptions, namely on July 2, 2026, at 02:05 PM and on July 3, 2026, at 11:50 AM Western Indonesia Time.
Irregularities in the Video
The circulating footage shows several physical irregularities. The eruption alternates between purple and reddish colors, a pattern that is uncommon in actual volcanic eruptions.
In addition, an analysis using the AI detection application AI or NOT indicated a 59 percent probability that the video contains artificially generated elements.
CONCLUSION
Tempo's verification concluded that the claim that the video shows an eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau with red and purple volcanic material is misleading.
Although Mount Anak Krakatau did experience minor eruptive activity in early July 2026, the dramatic visuals circulating on social media do not correspond with official observations and contain indications of artificial intelligence-generated manipulation.
TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM
**Do you have information or claims that you want to have fact-checked? Contact our ChatBot. You can also send criticism, objections, or feedback for this Fact-Checking article via email to [email protected].
Fact Check: Did a Tsunami Hit Indonesia's Gunungkidul Coast on July 2026?
1 hari lalu
Fact check - No tsunami occurred along the coast of Gunungkidul Regency in Indonesia.
Fact Check: Did FIFA Turn Iran vs Egypt World Cup Match Into LGBTQ Celebration?
2 hari lalu
Fact check - There was no FIFA decision to turn the Iran vs Egypt world cup match in Seattle into an LGBTQ celebration.
Fact Check: Did Red Lasers Appear Before Venezuela's Deadly Earthquake?
3 hari lalu
Fact check - AI generated the video circulating online that claims laser beams shone on Venezuelan houses before and after the twin earthquakes.
Fact Check: Is Indonesia's 2026 Pension Fund Link Legit?
4 hari lalu
Fact check - The viral 2026 pension fund assistance link is fake and is not an official Indonesian government website.
Fact Check: Was Hantavirus Created for Global Elite Profits?
5 hari lalu
Fact check - Hantavirus is a naturally occurring pathogen that has been infecting humans since the 1950s, not a laboratory-created virus.
Fact Check: Building Collapse Video Misidentified as Venezuela Earthquake Footage
5 hari lalu
Tempo Fact Check Team found that the events in the video took place in Turkey in 2023, not during the 2026 earthquake in Venezuela.
Fact Check: Did Europe's Heat Wave Melt Traffic Lights?
7 hari lalu
Tempo Fact Check Team found that a fire from a vehicle underneath it damaged the traffic light.
Fact Check: Did Epstein Files Link Indonesia Blackouts to a Vaccine Plot?
8 hari lalu
Fact check - Epstein Files contain no mention of plans to develop a vaccine in Indonesia, and the power outage is not related to any type of vaccine.
Fact Check: Will US and Japan Underwater Volcanoes Erupt Together?
9 hari lalu
Fact check - No scientific data or official warnings from either country. The only photos circulating are old images of Mount Anak Krakatau.
Fact Check: Did a Viral Climber Fall Video Show Mount Rinjani?
10 hari lalu
Fact check - A video circulating on X showing a female climber fell by accident actually happened in Fujian Province, China.
