Indonesia tsunami death toll hits 373

International Desk: The death toll following the tsunami caused by the Anak Krakatau volcano has risen to at least 373, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency says.

Saturday saw giant waves crash into coastal towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java.

It is thought that volcanic activity set off undersea landslides which in turn generated the killer waves.

"1,459 people are injured, while 128 remain missing," said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho in a statement.

Coastal residents near the volcano have been warned to keep away from beaches amid fears it could trigger a new tsunami.

Anak Krakatau erupted again on Sunday, spewing ash and smoke.

Video shot from a charter plane captured the magnitude of the volcanic event in the Sunda Strait, between Sumatra and Java.

Rescue efforts are being hampered by blocked roads but heavy lifting equipment is being transported to badly hit areas to help search for victims.

Anak Krakatau, which emerged in 1927 from the caldera that was formed during the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, has seen increased activity in recent months with people asked to avoid the area around its crater.

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/Dec 25, 2018/Nasim