Volcanic activity believed to have sent a wave crashing into villages and hotels in the popular tourist area on the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.
Last night’s tsunami was one of a series of disasters to hit Indonesia in 2018. More than 100 people died when an earthquake devastated the tourist island of Lombok near Bali in August. In September a 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit the area around Palu on the island of Sulawesi in northern Indonesia. It triggered a tsunami and together the two natural disasters devastated the region. The official death toll is more than 2,000 but it is feared this figure could finally rise to 5,000.
What we know so far
At least 168 people have been killed and 745 injured after a tsunami hit the coast of Indonesia’s Sunda Strait.
Twenty people are missing and authorities expect the death toll to rise.
The tsunami hit at about 9.20pm on Saturday night. There was no pre-warning given.
The tsunami is thought to have been caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatoa volcano, which may have triggered underwater landslides.
Hundreds of buildings and homes along the coast on both the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra have been destroyed by the force of the wave.
Indonesia’s disaster management agency has warned people to stay away from the coastline due to fears of another tsunami and a high wave warning remains in place.
Indonesian rescue teams and the Red Cross are already on site in some of the worst affected areas of Pandeglang, Lampung and Serang.
Popular Indonesian rock band Seventeen were mid-way through a performance in a tent at Tanjung Lesung beach resort in west Java when the wave hit and obliterated the stage, dragging the musicians and audience members with it. They have since released a statement confirming that their bassist and road manager both died in the tsunami, while four other band members are still missing.
Anak Krakatoa volcano has been particularly active since June, occasionally sending massive plumes of ash high into the sky. The island volcano emerged from the ocean half a century after an eruption on nearby Krakatoa in 1883. That eruption, thought to be one of the most violent volcanic events in history, killed more than 36,000 people.
we will give updates as they come
