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Indonesia orders flights to steer clear of erupting Anak Krakatau volcano

Via Thomson Reuters: Indonesia orders flights to steer clear of erupting Anak Krakatau volcano. Excerpt:

Indonesia on Thursday raised the alert level for the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano to the second-highest, and ordered all flights to steer clear, days after it triggered a tsunami that killed at least 430 people. 

A crater collapse on the volcanic island at high tide on Saturday sent waves up to 5 metres (16 feet) high smashing into the coast on the Sunda Strait, between the islands of Java and Sumatra. 

Authorities have warned that the crater of Anak Krakatau, or child of Krakatau, remains fragile, raising fears of another collapse and tsunami, and have urged residents to stay away from the coast.  

The volcano has been rumbling on and off since June but has been particularly active since Sunday, spewing lava and rocks, and sending huge clouds of ash up to 3,000 metres into heavily overcast skies.  

The national geological agency, in raising the alert level to the second-highest, set a 5-km exclusion zone around the island. 

"Since December 23, activity has not stopped ... We anticipate a further escalation," said Antonius Ratdomopurbo, secretary of the geological agency. 

A thin layer of volcanic ash has been settling on buildings, vehicles and vegetation along the west coast of Java since late on Wednesday, according to images shared by the national disaster mitigation agency. 

Authorities said the ash was not dangerous, but advised residents to wear masks and goggles when outside, while aircraft were ordered away.  

"All flights are rerouted due to Krakatau volcano ash on red alert," Indonesia's air traffic control agency AirNav said in a release.

Indonesia tsunami: Coastline still under threat amid fresh volcanic activity

Via The Guardian: Indonesia tsunami: coastline still under threat amid fresh volcanic activity. Excerpt:

The Indonesia authorities have warned that the tsunami-ravaged coast of western Java could be hit by further dangerous waves as volcanic activity continued in the area.  

Indonesia’s meteorology, climatology, and geophysical agency said that a new tsunami could arrive soon in the area around the Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait. A 2km exclusion zone has been set up around the volcano.

Saturday’s tsunami was caused by land shifting on Anak Krakatau, which was still spewing ash on Tuesday as heavy rain fell in the area. 

Dwikorita Karnawati, head of the agency, said: “All these conditions could potentially cause landslides at the cliffs of the crater into the sea, and we fear that that could trigger a tsunami.” 

She added that the authorities hoped to be able to inform the public about unusual activity related to the volcano, unlike ahead of Saturday night’s tsunami. 

“We have developed a monitoring system focused specifically on the volcanic tremors at Anak Krakatau so that we can issue early warnings,” she said. 

Beaches were largely empty in the hard-hit area of Carita on Wednesday, and police patrolled the area on motorbikes warning people to stay away from the coast. Some people defied the order, returning to what was left of their homes to begin cleaning up as heavy rain fell and waves pounded the shore. 

The number of dead has now reached 430. The figure may rise significantly with 159 people still reported as missing on Wednesday. Almost 1,500 people were reported injured, with 21,991 displaced from their homes.

Indonesia tsunami: Torrential rain hampers rescue efforts as death toll rises to 429

Via The Guardian: Indonesia tsunami: torrential rain hampers rescue efforts as death toll rises to 429. Excerpt:

Search efforts for the 154 people still missing in the disaster zone of the deadly tsunami that has killed at least 429 people continued on Tuesday, with some officials admitting privately that the chance of finding more survivors alive was slim. 

At the Tanjung Lesung beach resort, where the pop band Seventeen was performing when the tsunami struck, resort director Kunto Wijoyo told the Guardian he spent Sunday morning helping to carry some of the 106 bodies of people who died at the holiday retreat. 

“There were men, women and babies,” he said, adding that he hoped authorities would consider building a dam in the area to prevent further similar disasters. 

A grass lawn nearby was strewn with crumpled metal that had formed the band’s stage, with half-destroyed musical instrument cases lying among the wreckage.  

A policeman at the resort, large parts of which were obliterated by the waves, said rescue teams were legally obliged to keep searching for the missing people for seven days, beginning last Sunday morning.  

Soldiers combed the coast, flying drones overhead as torrential rain contributed to tricky driving conditions for ambulances ferrying injured people to local hospitals. 

Rescuers have also been searching Sumur, an area at the very southern part of where the tsunami hit. 

Officials confirmed there were 1,485 people injured by the tsunami as well as 882 houses and 73 hotels and villas damaged. More than 430 boats were also damaged.

Indonesia tsunami caused by collapse of volcano, experts confirm

Via The Guardian: Indonesia tsunami caused by collapse of volcano, experts confirm. Excerpt:

Saturday’s tsunami in Indonesia was caused by a chunk of the volcanic Anak Krakatau island slipping into the ocean, it was confirmed on Monday, as officials at the country’s natural disaster agency said it must develop a new tsunami early warning system.  

At least 373 people were killed, hundreds injured and many buildings were heavily damaged when the tsunami struck, almost without warning, along the rim of the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra islands. 

Anak Krakatau had been spewing ash and lava for months before a 64-hectare section of its south-west side collapsed, an Indonesian official said. “This caused an underwater landslide and eventually caused the tsunami,” Dwikorita Karnawati, the head of the meteorological agency, said. 

Images captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 satellite showed that a large portion of the southern flank of the volcano had slid off into the ocean, scientists said.

The fact the tsunami was triggered by a volcano rather than an earthquake meant no tsunami warning was triggered, scientists said. Coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs before waves of up to three metres high surged in. 

Hundreds of military personnel and volunteers spent Monday scouring beaches strewn with debris in search of survivors. At least 1,459 people were injured and more than 600 homes, 60 shops and 420 vessels damaged when the tsunami struck.

Indonesia tsunami 2018: Death toll rises to 281 after Sunda Strait disaster

Via The Guardian's live blog: Indonesia tsunami 2018: death toll rises to 281 after Sunda Strait disaster. 

It’s 9.30am in Jakarta and here are the latest developments from today: 

• The death toll has risen to 281, with over 1,000 people injured and 11,600 people displaced. 

• The district of Pandeglang was worst hit, with 207 killed and 755 injured. 

• The tsunami struck on Saturday night after an underwater landslide caused by eruptions from the Anak Krakatau volcano. 

• The spokesman for Indonesia’s disaster agency called for a new early warning system, because the current system cannot detect tsunamis caused by landslides. 

• He added that Indonesia’s tsunami buoy network hasn’t been operational since 2012, due to “vandalism” and “a limited budget”. 

• More members of rock band Seventeen, who were filmed on stage when the tsunami hit, were announced as dead, while others are still missing.

Indonesia tsunami: Latest update

Via The Guardian's live blog: Indonesia tsunami: 222 dead and 'many missing' after Anak Krakatoa erupts – latest updates.

We’re wrapping up the blog for the evening. Here’s a summary of what has happened.  

• At least 222 people have been killed and 843 injured after a tsunami hit the coast of Indonesia’s Sunda Strait. 

• Twenty-eight people are missing and authorities expect the death toll to rise as many affected areas have not yet been reached. 

• The tsunami hit at about 9.30pm on Saturday night, Indonesian time, which is around 2.30pm GMT. There was no pre-warning given. 

• The tsunami is thought to have been caused by the eruption of the Anak Krakatoa volcano, which may have triggered underwater landslides. 

• Indonesia’s disaster management agency said 556 houses, nine hotels, 60 culinary stalls and 350 boats were known to have been damaged. 

• Aid agencies are helping to evacuate the injured and bring in clean water, tarpaulins and provide shelter. The Red Cross said they were preparing for the possibility of diseases breaking out in the tsunami zone. 

Here is today’s full report into the disaster.

Indonesia tsunami: 222 dead and 'many missing' after Anak Krakatoa erupts

Via The Guardian's live blog, the latest update: Indonesia tsunami: 222 dead and 'many missing' after Anak Krakatoa erupts.

• At least 222 people have been killed and 843 injured after a tsunami hit the coast of Indonesia’s Sunda Strait. 

• Twenty-eight people are missing and authorities expect the death toll to rise as many affected areas have not yet been reached. 

• The tsunami hit at about 9.20pm on Saturday night. There was no pre-warning given. Here is an explanation as to why that was. 

• The tsunami is thought to have been caused by the eruption of the Anak Krakatoa volcano, which may have triggered underwater landslides. People have been warned to stay away from the coast due to fears of another tsunami. 

• Sutopo Purwo Nugroho from Indonesia’s disaster management agency said that 556 houses, nine hotels, 60 culinary stalls and 350 boats were known to have been damaged. 

• Aid agencies are at the scene. The Red Cross is on site in some of the worst affected areas of Pandeglang, Lampung and Serang. An Oxfam assessment team is going to the Strait today to gather more information about what has happened and what they can do. 

• Indonesian rock band Seventeen were midway through a performance in a tent at Tanjung Lesung beach resort in west Java when the wave hit and obliterated the stage, dragging the musicians and audience members with it. The band’s bassist and road manager both died, while four other band members are still missing.

Houses, hotels destroyed: Sunda Strait tsunami death toll reaches 43

Via The Jakarta Post: Houses, hotels destroyed: Sunda Strait tsunami death toll reaches 43. Click or tap through for a photo and video clip.

The tsunami that hit the Sunda Strait on Saturday night has resulted in at least 43 fatalities, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported on Sunday. 

BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that 43 people had been killed, while 584 others were injured and two were missing after a tsunami hit beaches in Banten and Lampung. 

Pandeglang regency in Banten was the worst-hit area with 33 dead and 491 injured. Four hundred houses, nine hotels and 10 boats in the area were also badly damaged.  

"When the incident occurred, there were many tourists visiting the beaches along Pandeglang," Sutopo said in a statement. 

 He added that seven people died in South Lampung regency, while three people died in Serang regency, Banten. 

"Heavy machinery has been deployed to help in the evacuation and emergency repairs," he said.  

"Residents are urged not to conduct any activities along the beach at this time. The BMKG [Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency] and the Geological Agency are still conducting studies to ascertain the cause of the tsunami and the probability of additional ones."

See also this report from the Straits Times in Singapore.

Tsunami triggered by volcano kills at least 43 in Indonesia

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Via The New York Times: Tsunami Triggered by Volcano Kills at Least 43 in Indonesia. Excerpt:

A tsunami apparently caused by the eruption of an island volcano killed at least 43 people around Indonesia's Sunda Strait, sending a wall of water crashing some 65 feet (20 meters) inland and sweeping away hundreds of houses including hotels, the government and witnesses said.  

Some 600 people have been reported injured when the tsunami hit 9:27 p.m. Saturday, the Disaster Management Agency said. 

Scientists from Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics agency said it could have been caused by undersea landslides from the eruption of Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island formed over years from the nearby Krakatau volcano. They also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon.  

"I had to run, as the wave passed the beach and landed 15-20m (meters) inland," Norwegian Øystein Lund Andersen wrote on Facebook. He said he was taking pictures of the volcano when he suddenly saw a big wave come toward him.   

"Next wave entered the hotel area where I was staying and downed cars on the road behind it. Managed to evacuate with my family to higher ground through forest paths and villages, where we are taken care of (by) the locals. Were unharmed, thankfully." 

The worst affected area was the Pandeglang region of Banten province in Java, which encompasses the Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the disaster agency said. Of the deaths, 33 were in Pandeglang. 

In the city of Bandar Lampung on southern Sumatra, hundreds of residents took refuge at the governor's office. 

Alif, a resident in Pandeglang district who goes by one name, said the tsunami reached about 3 meters (9.84 feet) high. He told MetroTV station that many people were still searching for missing relatives.  

The Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait that links the Indian Ocean and Java Sea erupted about 24 minutes before the tsunami, the geophysics agency said.

'Volcano tsunami' hits Indonesia after Krakatoa eruption

Via BBC News: 'Volcano tsunami' hits Indonesia after Krakatoa eruption. Excerpt:

At least 20 people have been killed and 165 injured after a tsunami hit the coast around Indonesia's Sunda Strait, government officials say. 

The country's disaster management agency says two people are missing, and dozens of buildings were damaged.  

It says the possible cause of the tsunami was undersea landslides after the Krakatoa volcano erupted.  

The Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean. 

The deaths were reported in the Pandeglang, South Lampung and Serang regions. 

Officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise further. The disaster management agency said high seas as a result of the full moon may also have contributed to the strength of the wave.