At Least 168 Dead And 745 Injured After Volcanic Eruption Causes Huge Tsunami

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At least 168 people have been killed in a tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption in Indonesia, also leaving hundreds injured.

Huge waves devastated beaches around Sunda Strait and destroyed houses as the tsunami hit the islands of Java and Sumatra on Saturday night (December 22).

As well as those who have been killed, at least 745 people are known to have been injured and dozens are missing in the wake of the disaster.

Terrifying footage on social media shows the waves crashing into a stage where the popular Indonesian rock band Seventeen were performing near the capital of Jakarta.

Take a look at the moment the tsunami hit here:

At least one of the musicians has died while other members of the band were seen being carried away in the water.

According to the Telegraph, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the national disaster agency spokesman, explained the waves were apparently triggered by a combination of underwater landslides caused by the eruption of Mount Krakatoa, and an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon.

Indonesia’s disaster management agency have said the worst affected area was the Pandeglang region of Banten province in Java, which encompasses the Ujung Kulon national park and popular beaches.

Other videos on social media show beachgoers fleeing the rushing water on the sand and cars floating in water as the tsunami hit land:

The true scale of the disaster is still unknown, and rescue services are struggling to reach all the affected areas due to debris from damaged houses and overturned cars.

Speaking to AFP, eyewitness Asep Perangkat described the devastation:

Cars were dragged about 10 metres, and so were containers.

Buildings on the edge of [Carita] beach were destroyed, trees and electricity poles fell to the ground.

Some coastal residents are claiming there were no warning signs, like receding water or an earthquake, before the waves reaching up to two metres high crashed ashore.

However authorities have claimed a warning siren was sounded in some areas.

Purwo Nugroho tweeted footage of the aftermath of the tsunami:

Krakatoa has been spewing ash and lava for some time, and its eruption at 9pm local time on Saturday resulted in the following tsunami at 9.30pm, according to local meteorologists.

Purwo Nugroho explained:

It was caused by a combination of an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau and a tidal wave disaster.

As reported in the Guardian, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said:

The tsunami hit several areas of the Sunda Strait, including beaches in Pandeglang regency, Serang, and South Lampung.

The disaster management agency has warned those in the area to stay away from the coastline due to fears another tsunami could hit.

They added there is a possibility data on the victims and damage will increase, explaining:

Heavy equipment is being deployed to assist in evacuation and emergency repairs. BMKG and the Geological Agency are carrying out studies to ascertain the causes of the tsunamis and possible follow-up.

Our thoughts are with all those affected by the devastating events.

Emily Brown

Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.