Rescuers move victim's body in Carita, Banten province of Indonesia (Photo: AFP/VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Atsunami following a volcanic eruption in Indonesia claimed atleast 168 lives, said local authorities on December 23.
Representative of the Indonesian national disaster mitigationagency said 745 people were wounded and 30 others remain missing.
Dozens of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit beachesin South Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9.30 pm local time onDecember 22, following a volcano eruption.
The same day, authorities warned residents and tourists in coastalareas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warningremained in place through till December 25.
Head of Indonesian meteorologicalagency Rahmat Triyono urged those whohave evacuated to not return yet.
Meanwhile, authorised agencies are gathering information on thedisaster, adding that the number of casualties is likely to rise consideringnot all places have been checked.
Initial estimates showed that about 430 houses were destroyed and ninehotels were heavily damaged.
The disaster caused severe impacts to areas surrounding SundaStrait, including beaches in Pangegland, Serang and South Lampung.
Authorities say the tsunami may have been triggered byan abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide followingthe eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Straitbetween Java and Sumatra.
Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations onearth, straddles the so-called Pacific 'Ring of Fire', where tectonic platescollide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakesoccur.
Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the lengthof the archipelago.
In 2004, a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 underseaearthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 peoplein countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.
In September this year, in the city of Palu onSulawesi island, a quake and tsunami killed more than 2,000 of people, while5,000 people went missing and 9,000 had to leave their home. -VNA
