Second Indonesian Tsunami Alert by Experts, Death Toll Over 281; 11,000 displaced & 1016 injured

The Indonesian Government has extended second tsunami warnings after the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted a second time on Sunday. Its first eruption has caused a tsunami wave which led to widespread destruction and the death of over 281 people.

According to new figures released today, another 1016 people have been injured and 57 are missing and more than 11,000 displaced.

The head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, held a news conference on Java today.

He warned that, "People should stay away from the beaches, because of the risk of another tsunami. The potential for a fresh tsunami is still possible because the volcanic eruption of Anak Krakatau continues to occur, potentially triggering another tsunami."

He further added "Recommendations from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency are that people should not carry out activities on the beach and stay away from the coast for a while.”

However, the figures of widespread destruction and death caused by tsunami are likely to rise, as data from some of the areas hit by the tsunami is still being collected.

The hardest hit areas are Carita and Tanjung Lesung, both are popular tourist destinations, on the island of Java, and Lampung on the island of Sumatra.

Preliminary studies of the tsunami say that the volcano’s eruption caused underground tectonic activity and landslides undersea which created the killer tsunami waves of Saturday night.

The Anak Krakatau volcano is a relatively young volcano. It emerged in the sea channel between the Java and Sumatra islands less than 100 years ago. The volcano in the Sunda strait of Indonesia was formed in 1927 after the Krakatoa volcano eruption.

The Anak Krakatau has had minor rumblings over the years and it had seen increased activity in recent months. Most warning systems for a tsunami track earthquakes as a large displacement of water during an underground quake leads to the formation of a tsunami wave.

According to reports, the recent volcanic eruption in the Anak Krakatu, apart from causing landslides also led to the collapse in the west-southwest flank of the volcano.

The eruption at night combined with unusual tectonic activity saw few warning signals go off which led to so many Indonesians caught unaware on the islands of Java and Sumatra.

Indonesia witnesses frequent earthquakes as the archipelago lies on the rim of fire that is close to the Earth’s equator and unstable tectonic plates in the Pacific Ocean. This has led to the formation of many volcanoes which see frequent eruptions. They in turn, cause massive tsunami waves.

In September, Indonesia’s city of Palu more than 2,000 people died by a powerful earthquake followed by another deadly tsunami wave.