Indonesia tsunami death toll rises with thousands displaced
The death toll from a tsunami along Indonesia’s Sunda Strait exceeded 400 as rescuers searched through the wreckage of hundreds of hotels and houses flattened by the wave surge.
At least 16,000 people have been displaced and about 1,500 injured when the tsunami struck the provinces of Lampung and Banten late on Saturday, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
The damage is complicating searches in several areas and the number of fatalities could rise from 429 as the hunt continues, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the agency.
Indonesia’s government set a 14-day emergency response period for Pandeglang, a regency in Banten province, which was the worst hit, Mr Nugroho said. South Lampung will have seven days, he said.
The tsunami was probably triggered by flank collapse, where a section of the volcano gives way, in the south and south-west sides of Mount Anak Krakatoa, Indonesia’s Energy Ministry said.
Saturday’s surge hit Tanjung Lesung, an area popular with surfers in the westernmost part of the Java island, which has been called a new Bali by President Joko Widodo.
Three to four hours from the capital Jakarta, Tanjung Lesung shares its coastline with Ujung Kulon National Park and is near factories of stateowned Krakatoa Steel and Chandra Asri Petrochemical.
The latest in a series of natural disasters to strike SouthEast Asia’s largest economy this year is set to pose a fresh challenge for Mr Widodo as he works in the middle of a presidential election campaign to help the thousands of people displaced by the disaster.
The tsunami, coming before the peak holiday season, may also hurt Indonesia’s all-important tourism industry and weigh on the nation’s currency, which is among the worst performers in Asia this year.