Indonesia Tsunami Death Toll Soars as Rescuers Search for Survivors
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At least 281 people are confirmed dead, and authorities say many victims are believed to be trapped beneath the wreckage.
Antara Foto/HO-Susi Air/via Reuters
The death toll from a tsunami that pummeled the coast of Indonesia's Sunda Strait coastal areas late Saturday surpassed 280 on Sunday as thousands of volunteers began to comb through the wreckage in search of survivors. Authorities say at least 281 people have been confirmed dead and more than 1,000 people were injured after the tsunami, believed to have been caused by an eruption of the Krakatoa Volcano, hit the western Java and southern Sumatra islands. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the country’s disaster agency, said Monday that authorities believe “some victims are still trapped under wreckage and materials washed away by the tsunami.” So far, at least 57 people remain unaccounted for, though that number is expected to increase.
