A tsunami following a volcanic eruption in Indonesia claimed at least 168 lives, said local authorities on December 23.
Rescuers move victim's body in Carita, Banten province of Indonesia (Photo: AFP/VNA).
Representative of the
Indonesian national disaster mitigation agency said 745 people were wounded and
30 others remain missing.
Dozens of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit beaches in South
Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9.30 pm local time on December 22,
following a volcano eruption.
The same day, authorities warned residents and
tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and
a high-tide warning remained in place through till December 25.
Head of Indonesian meteorological agency Rahmat Triyono urged those who have
evacuated to not return yet.
Meanwhile, authorised agencies are gathering information on the disaster,
adding that the number of casualties is likely to rise considering not all
places have been checked.
Initial estimates showed that about 430 houses were destroyed and nine hotels
were heavily damaged.
The disaster caused severe impacts to areas surrounding Sunda Strait, including
beaches in Pangegland, Serang and South Lampung.
Authorities say the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge
due to a new moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak
Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and
Sumatra.
Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called
Pacific 'Ring of Fire', where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of
the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.
Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the
archipelago.
In 2004, a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the
coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around
the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.
In September this year, in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island, a quake and tsunami
killed more than 2,000 of people, while 5,000 people went missing and 9,000 had
to leave their home.
Source:VNA
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