Carita (Indonesia) (AFP) – At least 43 people have been killed and nearly 600 injured in a tsunami in Indonesia that may have been caused by a volcano known as the “child” of the legendary Krakatoa, officials said Sunday.
Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit beaches without warning in South Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9.30 pm local time (1430 GMT) on Saturday, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement.
At least 43 people died and 584 people were injured across three regions.
Authorities say the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.
“The combination caused a sudden tsunami that hit the coast,” Nugroho said, but added that Indonesia’s geological agency was working to ascertain exactly how it happened.
He added that the death toll would likely increase.
Video footage posted to social media by Nugroho showed panicked residents clutching flashlights and fleeing for higher ground.
Indonesian authorities initially claimed the wave was not a tsunami, but instead a tidal surge and urged the public not to panic.
Nugroho later apologised for the mistake on Twitter, saying because there was no earthquake it had been difficult to ascertain the cause of the incident early on.
“If there is an initial error we’re sorry,” he wrote.
– ‘It went dark’ –
I am not sure the exact number, but a huge percentage of humans live on or near coasts worldwide. Water can be a killer.
Not to mention volcanoes…….
“Speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act.” Geo. Orwell
Hm, fucken globul warming. Those inept Indonesian scientists should call our Al Gore for correct predictions next time. 😉
The video of the eruption is pretty spectacular to watch.
The scene closer to the water line – not so much.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2018/dec/23/indonesia-tsunami-dozens-dead-hundreds-injured-after-anak-krakatoa-erupts .
Christmas, 2004, tsunami, Indonesia. Day before Christmas coastal Muslims told Christians they could not observe a Christian holiday among (effin worthless, brain dead, inbred, Satan idolizing) Musloids. Forced Christians away from the coast and into the mountains a mile away. Christmas day tsunami hit, killed over 100,000 Muslims. Not one Christian killed. Got a hunch God is trying to make a point.
Krakataua east of Java…