Indonesia tsunami: Death toll rises to 281, over 1,000 injured
The death toll from a tsunami that struck beaches around the Sunda Strait in Indonesia on Saturday night has risen to 281, with more than 1,000 other people injured, Indonesia's national disaster agency updated on Monday morning.
Authorities said the tsunami, which took place at 9:27 p.m. local time (1427 GMT), may have been triggered by "an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau" and was exacerbated by an abnormally high tide because of the current full moon.
Hundreds of buildings were also destroyed by the fierce wave.
Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground.
The Pandeglang district of Banten province suffered the most from the tsunami, and two other districts of Serang in the province and Lampung Selatan in Lampung province were also impacted.
In the worst-hit area, huge waves rattled residential areas and several tourist destinations along the coastal areas, such as Pantai Tanjung Lesung, Sumur, Penimbang, Teluk Lada dan Carita.
Anak Krakatau, or "Child of Krakatoa," is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption. The volcano has reportedly increased its activity in the last six months.
