373 people are reported dead and more than 1,400 injured after a disastrous tsunami hit the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia.
The fatal waves struck on Saturday, 22 of November 2018, at about 9:20 pm. The tsunami was probably triggered by underwater landslides caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatoa volcano. Local media reported that the waves reached up to 3 meters. Unfortunately, it was impossible to predict the disaster and warn people in time. Tsunamis provoked by volcanic activity differ from those caused by earthquakes. Due to the fact that they are triggered by a sudden water displacement or an underwater landslide, inadequate time is given to alert people and face the disastrous waves.
"Tsunami warning buoys are positioned to warn of tsunamis originated by earthquakes at underwater tectonic plate boundaries. Even if there had been such a bout right next to Anak Krakatau, this is so close to the affected shorelines that warning time would have been minimal given the high speeds at which tsunami waves travel," David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the Open University, commented.
The tsunami caused severe damage to 9 hotels, 556 houses, 60 stalls and 350 boats according to Indonesia's disaster management agency. Rescue teams, including the Red Cross, immediately rushed at the affected areas to aid the victims. Unfortunately, roads that were damaged by debris or fallen trees made their effort extremely difficult. Numerous people were saved and evacuated their residences to reach a higher ground but 24 are still missing.
The massive waves crashed through an Indonesian band concert, literately throwing the crew into the crowd. The manager and the bass player were killed while 3 other members are missing.
Anak Krakatau (meaning child of Krakatau) emerged from the region once occupied by Krakatau in 1927 and is continuously growing. Krakatau was destroyed after an eruption occurred in 1883. The eruption created a series of tsunamis that killed more than 36,000 people.
Sources: Rte.ie, Theguardian.com, Cnn.com
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