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DEATH-TOLL-TSUNAMI
Death toll from volcano-triggered tsunami climbs to 281 in Indonesia
PANDEGLANG, Indonesia, Dec 24 (BSS/XINHUA) – A devastating tsunami
triggered by a volcanic eruption in Indonesia has killed 281 people and
wounded 1,016 others along the coastal areas of Sunda Strait between Java and
Sumatra islands, the national disaster agency said on Monday.
As the search and rescue for victims of Saturday night’s tsunami, caused by
an underwater landslide after the eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano, were
underway, rescuers believed many victims remained trapped under the debris
swept by sea waves, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
“Evacuation of residents and search for the victims continue. It is
believed that many victims were trapped under the ruins of collapsed
buildings and materials swept by the tsunami,” Sutopo told Xinhua.
The disaster area of the tsunami, the spokesman said, has extended to five
districts — Pandeglang and Serang districts in Banten province, and Lampung
Selaltan, Panawaran and Tenggamus districts in Lampung province.
The catastrophe destroyed 611 houses, 69 hotels and villa, 420 ships and
boats along the coast, Sutopo said.
In Panawaran district, some 231 displaced people were taking shelter in
evacuation centers, according to the spokesman.
A joint task force, including thousands of soldiers, police, and personnel
from the search and rescue office, the disaster management office and
volunteers, was racing against time in emergency relief, particularly the
search efforts, said Sutopo.
Heavy machinery equipment had been deployed in the tsunami-hit areas to
help the search and rescue operation, said Sutopo.
Most bodies of victims were found in Pandeglang district, where the tsunami
struck tourist destinations and residential areas when many tourists were
enjoying the night along the coast.
“When the tragedy occurred, many people were spending their time along the
coastal areas of Pandeglang,” Sutopo said.
The waves of four to five meters slammed into the shore, head of emergency
department of the disaster management agency in the district Endang Permana,
told Xinhua. The meteorology and geophysics agency has banned activities in
the coastal areas after the deadly tsunami, as the assessment of volcanic
eruption risk was being taken, said Sutopo.
On Dec 26, 2004, a massive tsunami triggered by a powerful quake hit
countries along the Indian Ocean, killing 226,000 people dead, including
170,000 in Aceh province of northern tip of Indonesia’s Sumatra island.
Anak Krakatau, or Child of Krakatoa, is one of the 129 active volcanoes in
Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation home to 17,500 islands and sits on a
quake-prone zone of so-called “the Pacific Ring of Fire”.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1654 hrs