Scores were left dead and hundreds more injured in Indonesia early Sunday as a tsunami hit the island nation following a volcanic eruption.

The tsunami killed at least 222 people and injured 843 more as the wave came crashing ashore late Saturday on the eastern side of Java, one of the large islands comprising the country, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of public relations for the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

The number of dead and injured are both likely to rise.

Pandeglang, Serang and South Lampung on the island of Java were the hardest-hit regions, according to authorities. The regions are a few hours west of the capital city of Jakarta with its population of almost 10 million people.

The most-affected area was the Pandeglang region of Banten province in Java, which includes Ujung Kulon National Park and surrounding popular beaches. Of the deaths, 33 were in Pandeglang.

Emergency teams from national agencies were yet to arrive on site and local agencies doing their best to cope with disaster.

There were 430 houses and nine hotels badly damaged in the tsunami as well, Nugroho said.

The tsunami was likely due to underwater slides on the back of the volcanic eruption, Indonesia's Metereological, Climatological and Geological Agency said. The tsunami struck 24 minutes after Anak Krakatau erupted.

"I want to express my deep sorrow for the victims in Serang, Pandeglang and Banten Provice," Indonesian President Joko Widodo said, translated from Indonesian, according to The Associated Press. "May those who are left be patient."

Krakatau, a volcano located between the islands of Java and Sumatra, is known for the historic eruption in 1883 that blew the island apart and killed 30,000 people, but it has erupted regularly since.

The Asia Pacific Office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said it was already providing first aid to those injured in the disaster.

Indonesia was struck by a massive earthquake and tsunami in late September. The disaster hit Sulawesi, an island hundreds of miles northeast of Java. The disaster killed over 2,000 people and displaced 70,000 more.</s>CARITA BEACH, Indonesia (AP) — The deadly tsunami struck in the dark, without warning.

At least 222 people were killed as waves smashed into houses, hotels and other beachside buildings Saturday night along Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, in a disaster that followed an eruption and possible landslide on Anak Krakatau, one of the world’s most infamous volcanic islands.

More than 800 others were injured and dozens were reported missing after the tsunami hit coastal areas along western Java and southern Sumatra islands at 9:27 p.m. Saturday amid a Christmas holiday weekend, the Disaster Management Agency said. The death toll could increase once authorities hear from all stricken areas.

It was the second deadly tsunami to hit Indonesia this year, but the one that killed more than 2,500 people on the island of Sulawesi on Sept. 28 was accompanied by a powerful earthquake that gave residents a brief warning before the waves struck.

On Saturday night, the ground did not shake beforehand to alert people to the oncoming wave that ripped buildings from their foundations in seconds and swept terrified concertgoers on a popular resort beach into the sea.

Azki Kurniawan, 16, said his first warning about the tsunami was when people burst into the lobby of the Patra Comfort Hotel shouting, “Sea water rising!”

Kurniawan, who was undergoing vocational training with a group of 30 other students, said he was confused because he had not felt a big earthquake. He said he ran to the parking lot to try to reach his motorbike but discovered it was already flooded.

“Suddenly, a 1-meter (3.3-foot) wave hit me,” he said, his eyes red and swollen from crying. “I was thrown into the fence of a building about 30 meters (100 feet) from the beach and held onto the fence as strong as I could, trying to resist the water, which felt like it would drag me back into the sea. I cried in fear … ‘This is a tsunami?’ I was afraid I would die.”

Dramatic video posted on social media showed the Indonesian pop band Seventeen performing under a tent on popular Tanjung Lesung beach at a concert for employees of a state-owned electricity company. Dozens of people sat at tables while others swayed to the music near the stage as strobe lights flashed and theatrical smoke was released. A child could also be seen wandering through the crowd.

Seconds later, with the drummer pounding just as the next song was about to begin, the stage suddenly heaved forward and buckled under the force of the water, tossing the band and its equipment into the audience.

The group released a statement saying their bass player, guitarist and road manager were killed, while two other band members and the wife of one of the performers were missing.

“The tide rose to the surface and dragged all the people on site,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, when the current receded, our members were unable to save themselves while some did not find a place to hold on.”

Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said 222 deaths had been confirmed and at least 843 people were injured.

The worst-affected area was the Pandeglang region of Java’s Banten province, which encompasses Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the agency said.

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo expressed his sympathy and ordered government agencies to respond quickly to the disaster.

“My deep condolences to the victims in Banten and Lumpung provinces,” he said. “Hopefully, those who are left have patience.”

At the Vatican, Pope Francis prayed for the dead, the missing and the homeless in Indonesia, telling tourists and pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square that his thoughts were with victims “struck by violent natural calamities.”

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted support for Indonesia: “We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!”

The U.S. State Department also expressed its support: “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in Indonesia affected by the natural disaster. We are currently not aware of any U.S. citizens directly affected, but stand ready to assist as needed.”

In the city of Bandar Lampung on Sumatra, hundreds of residents took refuge at the governor’s office, while at the popular resort area of Anyer beach on Java, some survivors wandered in the debris.

Tourists who were enjoying the long holiday weekend ahead of Christmas were also affected.

“I had to run, as the wave passed the beach and landed 15-20m (meters, or 50-65 feet) inland,” said Norwegian Oystein Lund Andersen, in a Facebook post. The self-described photographer and volcano enthusiast said he was taking pictures of the volcano when he suddenly saw the water racing toward him. He and his family fled safely to higher ground.

The damage became apparent after daybreak Sunday. Nine hotels and hundreds of homes were heavily damaged by the waves. Broken chunks of concrete and splintered sticks of wood littered hard-hit coastal areas, turning beach getaways popular with Jakarta residents into near ghost towns. Vehicles were tossed into the rubble or were buried under collapsed roofs. Debris from thatch-bamboo shacks was strewn along beaches.

Yellow, orange and black body bags were laid out, and weeping relatives identified the dead.

Scientists, including those from Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics agency, said the tsunami could have been caused by landslides — either above ground or under water — on the steep slope of the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano. The scientists also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon.

The 305-meter (1,000-foot) -high Anak Krakatau, whose name means “Child of Krakatoa,” lies on an island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, linking the Indian Ocean and the Java Sea. It has been erupting since June and did so again about 24 minutes before the tsunami, the geophysics agency said.

The volcanic island formed over years after the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, one of the largest, most devastating in recorded history. That disaster killed more than 30,000 people, launched far-reaching tsunamis and created so much ash that day was turned to night in the area and a global temperature drop was recorded.

Most of the island sank into a volcanic crater under the sea, and the area remained calm until the 1920s, when Anak Krakatau began to rise from the site. It continues to grow each year and erupts periodically although it is much smaller than Krakatoa.

Gegar Prasetya, co-founder of the Tsunami Research Center Indonesia, said Saturday’s tsunami was likely caused by a flank collapse — when a big section of a volcano’s slope gives way. It’s possible for an eruption to trigger a landslide above ground or beneath the ocean, both capable of producing waves, he said.

“Actually, the tsunami was not really big, only 1 meter (3.3 feet),” said Prasetya, who has studied Krakatoa. “The problem is people always tend to build everything close to the shoreline.”

Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and home to 260 million people, lies along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas of the disaster-prone country, making access difficult in the best of conditions.

Saturday’s tsunami also rekindled memories of the massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake that hit Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2004. It spawned a giant tsunami off Sumatra island, killing more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries — the majority in Indonesia.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The tsunami which hit Indonesia on Saturday evening was the result of volcanic activity in the Anak Krakatoa (child of Mount Krakatoa) island located 34 miles off the Indonesian coast. At least 168 people have been reported dead with "many missing" after the tidal wave struck the beaches of the Sunda Strait filled with locals and tourists. Footage recorded in the area the tsunami hit captured the harrowing aftermath of the wave bringing down homes and businesses in its devastating path.

Piles of debris can be seen littering the seafront, with the tidal wave appearing to have brought down several houses near the beach.

The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) said the wave was not caused by an earthquake but was the result of volcanic activity at Anak Krakatoa (child of Mount Krakatoa), which triggered an underwater landslide.

The sudden movement of hot magma can cause underwater landslides, which in turn trigger a tsunami. The eruption threw volcanic ash up to 500 meters into the air.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, an Indonesian civil servant and head of public relations at the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management speculated the “cause of the tsunami in Pandeglang and South Lampung is possibly a combination of underwater landslides due to the influence of the eruption of Anak Krakatoa (child of Mount Krakatoa) and the high tides caused by the full moon”.

READ MORE: 'VOLCANO TSUNAMI' strikes Indonesia leaving at least 168 dead and hundreds more injured</s>A tsunami apparently caused by the eruption of an island volcano killed at least 62 people around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, sending a wall of water crashing some 65 feet inland and sweeping away hundreds of houses including hotels, the government and witnesses said.

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A tsunami apparently caused by the eruption of an island volcano killed at least 62 people around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, sending a wall of water crashing some 65 feet 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 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 trough forest paths and villages, where we are taken care of (by) the locals. Were unharmed, thankfully.”

Looking for the missing

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 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.

The 1,000-foot-high volcano, about 124 miles southwest of capital Jakarta, has been erupting since June. In July, authorities widened its no-go areas to 1.24 miles from the crater.

Gegar Prasetya, co-founder of the Tsunami Research Center Indonesia, said the waves were likely caused by a flank collapse — when a big section of a volcano’s slope gives way. He said it’s possible for an eruption to trigger a landslide above ground or beneath the ocean, both capable of producing a tsunami.

“Actually, the tsunami was not really big, only one meter,” said Prasetya, who has closely studied Krakatau. “The problem is people always tend to build everything close to the shoreline.”

Physical losses included 430 heavily damaged homes, nine heavily damaged hotels and 10 heavily damaged vessels. Footage posted by the head of the disaster agency showed the aftermath of flooded streets and an overturned car.

In September, more than 2,500 people were killed by a quake and tsunami that hit the city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi, which is just east of Borneo.</s>A tsunami apparently caused by the eruption of an island volcano killed at least 62 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. At least 20 others are unaccounted for.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.Footage posted on social media showed a pop band named "Seventeen" performing under a tent on a beach as dozens of people sat listening at tables covered in white cloths. As bright strobe lights flashed on stage, a child could be seen wandering through the crowd. Then, in between songs with the drummer pounding, the stage suddenly heaved forward, throwing the band and all their equipment into the audience.The band released a statement saying their bass player and road manager were found dead, while four other members of their group remained missing."The tide rose to the surface and dragged all the people on site," it said. "Unfortunately, when the current receded our members are unable to save themselves while some did not find a place to hold on."Tourists were also affected during the holiday weekend ahead of Christmas."I had to run, as the wave passed the beach and landed 15-20m (meters) inland," Norwegian ystein 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 trough 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 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.The 305-meter (1,000-foot) -high volcano, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of capital Jakarta, has been erupting since June. In July, authorities widened its no-go areas to 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) from the crater.Gegar Prasetya, co-founder of the Tsunami Research Center Indonesia, said the waves were likely caused by a flank collapse - when a big section of a volcano's slope gives way. He said it's possible for an eruption to trigger a landslide above ground or beneath the ocean, both capable of producing a tsunami."Actually, the tsunami was not really big, only one meter," said Prasetya, who has closely studied Krakatau. "The problem is people always tend to build everything close to the shoreline."Physical losses included 430 heavily damaged homes, nine heavily damaged hotels and 10 heavily damaged vessels. Footage posted by the head of the disaster agency showed the aftermath of flooded streets and an overturned car.In September, more than 2,500 people were killed by a quake and tsunami that hit the city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi, which is just east of Borneo.In December 2004, a massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra island in western Indonesia triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. Indonesia is a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands home to 260 million people. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making access difficult in the best of conditions.</s>Tsunami in Indonesia kills at least 222 without warning

(CNN) — At least 222 people were killed, with hundreds more injured and missing, including members of a pop band, after a tsunami hit the coastline of west Java and Sumatra, Indonesia on Saturday.

There was no warning before the waves struck the Pandeglang district, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of public relations at Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

The tsunami appears to have been triggered by a combination of underwater landslides caused by the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in the Sunda Strait that lies between the islands of Java and Sumatra.

Eyewitnesses described fleeing for their lives as beachfront hotels and homes were swept away by a towering wall of water on Saturday evening.

The waves caused a stage to collapse in the Tanjung Lesung beach resort while holidaymakers and locals were watching the Indonesian pop band Seventeen.

One member of the band has been confirmed dead as well as the manager, according to the Jakarta Post. The newspaper said all the other band members were still missing.

Even though Indonesia was the worst country affected by the devastating Boxing Day 2004 tsunami that killed hundred of thousands of people, it still lacks the proper equipment to alert that a tsunami threat is coming.

“We need multi-hazard early warning system,” Nugroho said. “And we need lots of it.”

Nugroho pointed out that tsunamis are much faster and less predictable than tidal waves, which are caused by atmospheric conditions.

“We used to know that a tsunami happens after an earthquake. There was no quake last night. That is why there was no warning,” he said referring to the underwater landslides.

The tsunami has destroyed 558 houses and heavily damaged nine hotels, 60 restaurants and 350 boats, indicating the tsunami hit residential and tourist areas.

Nugroho said 843 people have been injured and 28 are currently unaccounted for.

As of now, no foreigners have been found to have been killed.

The tsunami comes less than three months after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Palu on the island of Sulawesi killing 2,256 people.

A volcanic eruption in Krakatoa in 1883 was one of the deadliest in recorded history at the time, killing more than 36,000 people.

Kathy Mueller, a spokeswoman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Indonesia, told CNN that the organization expected the death toll to rise.

Red Cross teams are bringing in basic household items, clean water and equipment to help clear away debris, Mueller said.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme said in a statement it stood ready to support the Indonesian government.

“We have teams on the ground specialized in disaster response and have been working for years with Indonesia to prepare for such disasters,” said Bettina Luescher, a senior WFP spokesperson.

“Our logistics experts can help bring aid supplies and aid workers to the affected areas. Upon request our experts will support the Indonesian government to assess the damage and assist in the response.”

In October, torrential rains and flooding triggered mudslides that wiped out part of an elementary school in Indonesia’s North Sumatra. Twenty people were killed.</s>A tsunami triggered by an underwater landslide from volcanic eruptions has killed at least 222 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra.

The tsunami struck late on Saturday night, almost without warning, along the rim of the Sunda Strait, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the disaster mitigation agency, said.

Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground. By Sunday, the disaster agency had raised the death toll to 222 from 168, with 843 injured and 28 missing.

TV images showed the seconds when the tsunami hit the beach and residential areas in Pandeglang on Java island, dragging with it victims, debris, and large chunks of wood and metal.

Coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs, such as receding water or an earthquake, before waves of 2-3 metres washed ashore, according to media.

Authorities said a warning siren went off in some areas.

The timing of the tsunami, over the Christmas holiday season, evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on December 26 in 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, among them Australians.

Oystein Lund Andersen, a Norwegian holidaymaker, was in Anyer town with his family when Saturday’s tsunami struck.

“I had to run, as the wave passed the beach and landed 15-20 metres inland. Next wave entered the hotel area where I was staying and drowned cars on the road behind it,” he said on Facebook.

“Managed to evacuate with my family to higher ground through forest paths and villages, where we are taken care of by the locals.”

Authorities warned residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warning remained in place through to December 25.

“Those who have evacuated, please do not return yet,” said Rahmat Triyono, an official at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

Rescue workers and ambulances were finding it difficult to reach affected areas because some roads were blocked by debris from damaged houses, overturned cars and fallen trees.

The western coast of Banten province in Java was the worst-hit area, Nugroho told reporters in Yogyakarta. He said at least 35 people were reported dead in Lampung in southern Sumatra.

The waves washed away an outdoor stage where a local rock band was performing in Tanjung Lesung in Banten province, a popular tourist getaway not far from the capital, Jakarta, killing at least one musician. Others were missing.

Around 250 employees of the state utility company PLN had gathered in Tanjung Lesung for an end-of-year event, company spokesman I Made Suprateka told Reuters. At least seven people were killed, and around 89 are missing, he said.

Dramatic TV footage showed the seconds when the tsunami hit a concert at the event and washed away the stage where the band, Seventeen, was performing.

Officials were trying to determine the exact cause of the disaster.

Anak Krakatau, an active volcano roughly halfway between Java and Sumatra, has been spewing ash and lava for months. It erupted again just after 9pm on Saturday and the tsunami struck at around 9.30pm, according to the Meteorology Agency.

The tsunami was caused by “an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau” and was exacerbated by abnormally high tide because of the full moon, Nugroho said.

Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from the area once occupied by Krakatau or Krakatoa, which was destroyed in 1883. It first appeared in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Malaysia and Australia both said they were ready to provide assistance if needed.</s>(CNN) At least 222 people were killed, with hundreds more injured and missing, including members of a pop band, after a tsunami hit the coastline of west Java and Sumatra, Indonesia on Saturday.

There was no warning before the waves struck the Pandeglang district, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of public relations at Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

Nugroho said 843 people have been injured and 28 are unaccounted for.

A damaged vehicle is seen amid wreckage from buildings along Indonesia's Carita beach.

A damaged vehicle is seen amid wreckage from buildings along Indonesia's Carita beach.

Debris litters a property that was damaged by the tsunami in Indonesia.

Debris litters a property that was damaged by the tsunami in Indonesia.

Officials look through the wreckage of damaged buildings in Carita, Indonesia.

Officials look through the wreckage of damaged buildings in Carita, Indonesia.

People search for relatives among the bodies of tsunami victims.

People search for relatives among the bodies of tsunami victims.

A man breaks down after identifying his relative among the bodies of tsunami victims in Carita, Indonesia, on Sunday.

A man breaks down after identifying his relative among the bodies of tsunami victims in Carita, Indonesia, on Sunday.

Residents inspect a house damaged by the tsunami in Carita, Indonesia, on Sunday.

Residents inspect a house damaged by the tsunami in Carita, Indonesia, on Sunday.

An aerial photo shows damaged buildings in Carita, Indonesia, on Sunday, a day after the area was hit by the tsunami.

An aerial photo shows damaged buildings in Carita, Indonesia, on Sunday, a day after the area was hit by the tsunami.

Rescue team members carry the body of a tsunami victim in Banten, Indonesia, on Sunday.

Rescue team members carry the body of a tsunami victim in Banten, Indonesia, on Sunday.

An aerial view of the Anak Krakatau volcano during an eruption in South Lampung, Indonesia, on Sunday, December 23. The tsunami is believed to have been triggered when the volcano, lying in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, erupted and set off a series of underwater landslides, according to Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geological Agency.

An aerial view of the Anak Krakatau volcano during an eruption in South Lampung, Indonesia, on Sunday, December 23. The tsunami is believed to have been triggered when the volcano, lying in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra, erupted and set off a series of underwater landslides, according to Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geological Agency.

Indonesian soldiers peer into an underground space during a search for victims of the tsunami at a resort hotel Monday in Tanjung Lesung, Indonesia.

Indonesian soldiers peer into an underground space during a search for victims of the tsunami at a resort hotel Monday in Tanjung Lesung, Indonesia.

Indonesian soldiers carry the bodies of tsunami victims at a beach resort in Tanjung Lesung, Indonesia, on Monday.

Indonesian soldiers carry the bodies of tsunami victims at a beach resort in Tanjung Lesung, Indonesia, on Monday.

Villagers search through debris after the tsunami destroyed their houses.

Villagers search through debris after the tsunami destroyed their houses.

Tsunami survivors rest at a hospital in Pandeglang, Indonesia, Monday. Doctors are working to help survivors, and rescuers are looking for more victims from a deadly tsunami that smashed into beachside buildings along an Indonesian strait.

Tsunami survivors rest at a hospital in Pandeglang, Indonesia, Monday. Doctors are working to help survivors, and rescuers are looking for more victims from a deadly tsunami that smashed into beachside buildings along an Indonesian strait.

A survivor sits on debris as she salvages items from her destroyed house in Sumur, Indonesia.

A survivor sits on debris as she salvages items from her destroyed house in Sumur, Indonesia.

Villagers walk through debris in Carita, Banten province, Indonesia, on Monday following the tsunami.

Villagers walk through debris in Carita, Banten province, Indonesia, on Monday following the tsunami.

A man reacts after identifying a relative during a rescue operation at a beach front hotel in Pandeglang on Monday, December 24.

A man reacts after identifying a relative during a rescue operation at a beach front hotel in Pandeglang on Monday, December 24.

An aerial view of an affected area of Sumur.

An aerial view of an affected area of Sumur.

Members of an Indonesian search and rescue team carry an elderly woman on a stretcher at the ferry port after being evacuated from Sebesi Island, in Bakauheni, on Wednesday.

Members of an Indonesian search and rescue team carry an elderly woman on a stretcher at the ferry port after being evacuated from Sebesi Island, in Bakauheni, on Wednesday.

A woman holding an umbrella walks in the rain among debris after the tsunami in Sumur on Wednesday, December 26.

A woman holding an umbrella walks in the rain among debris after the tsunami in Sumur on Wednesday, December 26.

An Indonesian soldier looks at damaged houses and debris in Sumur, Indonesia, on Tuesday, December 25.

An Indonesian soldier looks at damaged houses and debris in Sumur, Indonesia, on Tuesday, December 25.

Eyewitnesses described fleeing for their lives as beachfront hotels and homes were swept away by a towering wall of water on Saturday evening.

The waves caused a stage to collapse in the Tanjung Lesung beach resort while holidaymakers and locals were watching the Indonesian pop band Seventeen.

One member of the band has been confirmed dead as well as the manager, according to the Jakarta Post. The newspaper said all the other band members were still missing.

Even though Indonesia was the worst country affected by the devastating Boxing Day 2004 tsunami that killed hundred of thousands of people, it still lacks the proper equipment to alert that a tsunami threat is coming.

"We need multi-hazard early warning system," Nugroho said. "And we need lots of it."

Nugroho pointed out that tsunamis are much faster and less predictable than tidal waves, which are caused by atmospheric conditions.

"We used to know that a tsunami happens after an earthquake. There was no quake last night. That is why there was no warning," he said referring to the underwater landslides.

The damage

The tsunami has destroyed 558 houses and heavily damaged nine hotels, 60 restaurants and 350 boats, indicating the tsunami hit residential and tourist areas.

As of now, no foreigners have been found to have been killed.

Pope Francis Sunday prayed for the victims of the tsunami, saying: "My thoughts go, right now, to the populations of Indonesia, affected by violent natural disasters, which have caused serious losses in human lives, numerous missing and homeless people and extensive material damage. I invite everyone to join me in prayer for the victims and their loved ones."

Speaking to pilgrims at his regular Sunday Angelus service in St. Peter's Square, he added: "I am spiritually close to the displaced and to all the people affected, imploring God for relief in their suffering. My appeal is that these brothers and sisters may not lack our solidarity and the support of the international community."

Residents inspect the damage to their homes on Carita beach on December 23.

The tsunami comes less than three months after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Palu on the island of Sulawesi killing 2,256 people.

A volcanic eruption in Krakatoa in 1883 was one of the deadliest in recorded history at the time, killing more than 36,000 people.

Kathy Mueller, a spokeswoman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Indonesia, told CNN that the organization expected the death toll to rise.

Red Cross teams are bringing in basic household items, clean water and equipment to help clear away debris, Mueller said.

Hundreds of people have been left injured after the tsunami hit.

The United Nations' World Food Programme said in a statement it stood ready to support the Indonesian government.

"We have teams on the ground specialized in disaster response and have been working for years with Indonesia to prepare for such disasters," said Bettina Luescher, a senior WFP spokesperson.

"Our logistics experts can help bring aid supplies and aid workers to the affected areas. Upon request our experts will support the Indonesian government to assess the damage and assist in the response."

In October, torrential rains and flooding triggered mudslides that wiped out part of an elementary school in Indonesia's North Sumatra. Twenty people were killed.</s>Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesperson for the Indonesian disaster agency has confirmed the Saturday evening tsunami has left at least 168 dead, 745 injured with 30 missing. But he says he expects the death toll to rise since not all the areas which were hit have been reached yet.

The worst affected area was the Pandeglang region of Banten province in Java, which encompasses the Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches southwest of the capital, Jakarta.

Scientists say the tsunami was probably caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island formed over years from the nearby Krakatau volcano. They also cited high tidal waves that were caused by the full moon, which added to the volume of tsunami waves.

Sutopo has also warned that there is still the potential for another tsunami as Krakatoa is still active. There are high tide warnings in place until tomorrow and people are being urged to stay away from the coast for the time being.

“Please do not be around the beaches around the Sunda Strait. Those who have evacuated, please do not return yet,” said Rahmat Triyono, head of the meteorological agency on Sunday.</s>More Than 200 Dead, Hundreds More Injured After Tsunami Hits Indonesia

At least 222 people are dead and hundreds more are missing or injured, the AP reports, after a tsunami struck Indonesia late Saturday night local time.

The death toll is expected to rise.

Officials there are blaming the tsunami on underwater landslides caused by volcanic activity on the island of Anak Krakatau, which erupted just after 9 p.m.

Footage shared by news outlets and social media show a wave hitting a seaside concert at a resort on the island of Java, washing away the stage and many people along with it.

The 1883 eruption of nearby Krakatoa killed more than 30,000 people. Anak Krakatau, the "son of Krakatoa," emerged from the spot where the island of Rakata existed before that eruption.

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which was triggered by an earthquake, killed about 226,000.
At least 281 people are killed and over 1,000 injured when a tsunami triggered by Krakatoa's eruption hits the coast near Indonesia's Sunda Strait.