Disaster-hit Indonesia could be at risk of more tsunamis and the lack of an early warning system leaves the already vulnerable country at the mercy of further danger.
The death toll has reached 222 with 843 injured and as emergency services scramble to help while people search for their families in the rubble, they are still in danger as Anak Krakatau continues to erupt.
Speaking at a news conference on the island of Java, National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho warned that the risk of more tsunamis wasn't over.
He said: 'Recommendations from Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) are that people should not carry out activities on the beach and stay away from the coast for a while.
'The potential for a fresh tsunami is still possible because the volcanic eruption of Anak Krakatau continues to occur, potentially triggering tsunami.'
The revelation is made all the more shocking considering the country's devastation after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake occurred, killing 227,898.
Today's tsunami was triggered by volcanic activity but the government warned that the country did not have any early warning system for tsunamis not caused by earthquakes.
A government spokesman said the tsunami was likely to have been caused by an underwater landslide caused by volcanic activity of Mount Anak Krakatau, combined with an unusually high tidal wave because of the full moon.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said: 'According to preliminary data, there are no foreign casualties, only Indonesians.'
Fault sirens on the existing panic system caused residents of Labuhan Bay of Pandeglang regency, Banten, to flee to higher ground.
It is not known exactly why the sirens did sound but the BMKG [Meterology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency] say they did not issue the warning.
'It is likely that a technical problem caused the sirens to sound on their own', a spokesman said.
Here a compilation of videos and pictures from the volcanic tsunami most probably triggered by the crater collapse or an underwater landslide due to the volcanic activity of Anak Krakatau volcano on December 22, 2018.
A frantic search was underway on Sunday for survivors of a tsunami in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait that struck without warning on the country’s two most-populous islands, killing at least 222 people, injuring more than 800 others and destroying hundred of buildings.
And now an animation showing what have probably happened:
The Anak Krakatau eruption most probably caused a tremor resulting in a landslide on an underwater slope that in turn triggered the tsunami,— Bali Promotion Center
Tsunami of Sunda Strait due to Anak Krakatau pic.twitter.com/uf7P4IhiD3(@translatorbali) December 23, 2018
The tsunami struck about 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, when many Indonesians were at the beaches on western Java and southern Sumatra celebrating a long Christmas weekend.
GROUND ZERO: At least 222 people are dead and hundreds more are injured after a massive tsunami, likely triggered by an eruption at the Anak Krakatau volcano, slammed the coast of Indonesia; the death toll is expected to rise as workers search the debris. https://t.co/O6Xarb8vPPpic.twitter.com/klYfhNiCXs— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) December 23, 2018
And the tsunami might have been caused like that of 1883 as shown in this physics-based computer simulation of the 1883 Krakatoa eruption, lateral blast, pyroclastic flow and tsunami:
Officials said they think that the tsunami — with a wave nearly 10 feet high that hit the coast — had been caused by an undersea landslide that was set off by volcanic activity on the island of Anak Krakatau.
The next video shows the tsunami slamming into a temporary stage erected on Tanjung Lesung Beach, on the Java coast, where a rock band was performing.
Video shows a tsunami (possibly caused by the volcanic eruption of Mount Anak-Krakatau, strikes Anyer Beach) crashing into a venue in Indonesia where the band Seventeen was performing. pic.twitter.com/UILwD1Krth— Lorraine Lopezs (@LorraineLopezs) December 23, 2018
The tsunami damaged or destroyed at least 556 homes, nine hotels, 60 small shops and 350 boats, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for Indonesia’s disaster management agency.Officials put the number of injured at 848 and the missing at 28.
My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tsunami that hit coastal towns on Indonesia's Sunda Strait following the 'Anak Krakatau' eruption. Please stay strong during these testing times. pic.twitter.com/U1uexjoN2N— Dashillionaire (@Dashin100) December 23, 2018
The area hit hardest was Pandeglang regency in Java’s Banten Province, site of Tanjung Lesung Beach. The area is popular with visitors from Jakarta, the capital. Videos and photos from Pandeglang showed extensive damage, with houses crushed and at least one car overturned.
Mt. Krakatoa Eruption, one hour ago. Credit to Capt. Mykola from Susi Air#PrayForBanten #prayforanyer #PrayForLampung #PrayForSelatSunda#prayforindonesia #Krakatau #TsunamiSelatSunda #TsunamiAnyer#tsunamibanten #TsunamiLampung pic.twitter.com/xI2TU1ysBv— Safiro (@hudasafiro) December 23, 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment