222 dead, hundreds hurt as volcano-triggered tsunami hits Indonesia again

Search and rescue teams were scouring rubble for survivors, with 843 people injured and 28 missing

International news: A volcano-triggered tsunami has left at least 222 people dead and hundreds more injured after slamming without warning into beaches around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, officials said on Sunday, voicing fears that the toll would rise further.

Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9:30 pm (2000 IST) on Saturday after a volcano known as the “child” of Krakatoa erupted, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. Search and rescue teams were scouring rubble for survivors, with 843 people injured and 28 missing, Nugroho said.

Also Read :Volcano-triggered tsunami kills 168, injures hundreds in Indonesia

In September an earthquake hit the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, triggering a tsunami. The two natural disasters devastated the region and had killed 2,000 people. Tsunamis triggered by volcanic eruptions are relatively rare, caused by the sudden displacement of water or “slope failure”, according to the International Tsunami Information Centre.

Unlike those caused by earthquakes, which trigger alert systems, they give authorities very little time to warn residents of the impending threat. Kathy Mueller from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the toll was likely to rise.

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Volcano-triggered tsunami kills 168, injures hundreds in Indonesia

More than 700 people have been reported injured since the tsunami hit

(International news)During a busy holiday weekend, a tsunami apparently caused by the eruption of an island volcano killed more than 160 people around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, sending a wall of water crashing ashore and sweeping away people attending a beach concert along with hundreds of houses including hotels, the government and witnesses said.

More than 700 people have been reported injured since the tsunami hit at 9:27 p.m. Saturday, the Disaster Management Agency said. At least 30 others are unaccounted for. The disaster could have been caused by undersea landslides from the eruption of Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island formed over years from the nearby Krakatau volcano, scientists from Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said. They also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon.

Footage posted on social media showed a pop band named “Seventeen” performing for employees from a local electric company under a tent on a beach as dozens of people sat listening at tables covered in white cloths. As bright strobe lights flashed on stage, a child could be seen wandering through the crowd. Then, as (BS) the second song was about to begin with the drummer pounding, the stage suddenly heaved forward, throwing the band and all their equipment into the audience.The band released a statement saying their bass player and road manager were found dead, while three other band members and the wife of one of the performers remained missing.

“The tide rose to the surface and dragged all the people on site,” it said. “Unfortunately, when the current receded our members are unable to save themselves while some did not find a place to hold on.” Tourists were also affected during the long holiday weekend ahead of Christmas.

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