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Indonesia: The destruction caused by tsunami

Saturday’s tsunami was Indonesia’s third major natural disaster in just a few months.

A tsunami-ravaged village in Sumur, Indonesia. The Christmas holiday was sombre with prayers for tsunami victims in the Indonesian region hit by waves that struck without warning Saturday night. [Tatan Syuflana/AP Photo]
A tsunami-ravaged village in Sumur, Indonesia. The Christmas holiday was sombre with prayers for tsunami victims in the Indonesian region hit by waves that struck without warning Saturday night. [Tatan Syuflana/AP Photo]
25 Dec 2018

Thousands of people were left homeless when a volcano-triggered tsunami smashed homes on the coastal areas of western Java and southern Sumatra in Indonesia.

The powerful waves washed away popular seaside areas frequented by local and foreign tourists, sweeping over coastal settlements and leaving behind a trail of destruction.

The latest death toll stands at 429 people, with more than 1,400 injured and another 128 missing. Thousands more have been displaced and forced to seek shelter in temporary camps.

Saturday’s tsunami was Indonesia’s third major natural disaster in just a few months. In July and August, major earthquakes on Lombok island killed hundreds of people, while in September, a devastating earthquake-tsunami left more than 2,000 others in Palu on Sulawesi island dead.

It also came just a few days before the 14th anniversary of the December 26, 2004 tsunami, one of the deadliest disasters in history that claimed the lives of some 220,000 people in several countries around the Indian Ocean, more than half of whom were Indonesians.

The powerful tsunami washed away popular seaside areas frequented by local and foreign tourists. [Tatan Syuflana/AP Photo]
The powerful tsunami washed away popular seaside areas frequented by local and foreign tourists. [Tatan Syuflana/AP Photo]
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Saturday's tsunami was Indonesia's third major natural disaster in just a few months. [Fauzy Chaniago/AP Photo]
Saturday's tsunami was Indonesia's third major natural disaster in just a few months. [Fauzy Chaniago/AP Photo]
With Anak Krakatoa still rumbling, experts are warning that more destructive waves could slam the already-stricken areas in southern Sumatra and western Java. [Achmad Ibrahim/AP Photo]
With Anak Krakatoa still rumbling, experts are warning that more destructive waves could slam the already-stricken areas in southern Sumatra and western Java. [Achmad Ibrahim/AP Photo]
A man stands in front of his destroyed house in Pandeglang, Banten province. [Jorge Silva/Reuters]
A man stands in front of his destroyed house in Pandeglang, Banten province. [Jorge Silva/Reuters]
Stranded boats near damaged houses in Anyer, Banten. [Antara Foto/Muhammad Adimaja/Reuters]
Stranded boats near damaged houses in Anyer, Banten. [Antara Foto/Muhammad Adimaja/Reuters]
Thousands have been displaced and forced to seek shelter in temporary camps. [Jorge Silva/Reuters]
Thousands have been displaced and forced to seek shelter in temporary camps. [Jorge Silva/Reuters]
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The eruption of Anak Krakatoa volcano triggered an underwater landslide that is widely believed to have caused a devastating tsunami that struck almost without a warning. [Jorge Silva/Reuters]
The eruption of Anak Krakatoa volcano triggered an underwater landslide that is widely believed to have caused a devastating tsunami that struck almost without a warning. [Jorge Silva/Reuters]
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