Indonesia: Residents warned another tsunami could hit

By Mahmut Atanur

TANJUNG LESUNG, Indonesia (AA) - Authorities Tuesday warned coastal residents near Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano that another tsunami could strike the region.

The warning to the Tanjung Lesung beach resort followed eruptions of the Anak Krakatau volcano that generated waves.

Authorities asked residents to stay away from beaches and rescue workers to halt their work at the site.

The death toll from Saturday’s tsunami on Indonesia’s Sunda Strait has risen to 373, the national disaster agency said on Monday.

Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement that the number of people injured in the tsunami topped 1,459 -- likely to have been triggered by a volcanic eruption.

At least 128 people are still missing, Nugroho added.

Earlier, Nugroho said that 611 houses and many buildings were damaged after the tsunami, which mostly affected the areas of Pandenglang, South Lampung, and Serang.

Coastal areas along Carita Beach, Panimbang Beach, Teluk Lada Beach, Sumur Beach, and Tanjung Lesung Beach were severely damaged, according to the agency official.

Indonesia lies within the Pacific Ocean’s "Ring of Fire," where tectonic plates collide and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

Last September, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country's Sulawesi Island, which triggered a tsunami in the cities of Donggala and Palu that towered up to 10 feet (3 meters) high, killing over 2,000 people.

On Dec. 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck the eastern coast of Sumatra, triggering a tsunami that killed around 230,000 people as it tore along the coasts of Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.