Death toll raised to 429 in Indonesia

Jakarta, Dec 25: Casualty from the tsunami triggered by a volcanic eruption in Sunda Strait in Indonesia raised to 429 people here on Tuesday Morning.

At least 128 people were still missing and nearly 1,500 were injured after the tsunami struck the Indonesian islands of  Java and Sumatra almost without warning late Saturday, shortly after the Anak Krakatau volcano irupted in the Sunda Strait dividing the islands, the National Board For Disaster Management  (BNPB) said.

According to the figures released on Monday, at least 11,687 people were displaced by the tragedy, which damaged a number of houses, hotels, shops and boats. BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho warmed that more tsunamis were possible as long as the volcano remained active.

As per the local media reports, the wave reached as high as three metres(10 feet). Eyewitnesses described fleeing for their lives as beachfront homes were swept away in the wave.

A lack of warning was also blamed for the death toll in Indonesia’s October tsunami which killed over 2,000 people on the western coast of Sulawesi.

The city of Pandegang in northern Java’s Banten province was the worst affected area. Other hard-hit areas with casualties and damages were Serang, Lampung Selatan, Tanggamus and Pesawaran.