Indonesia: a rare phenomenon that caused the tragedy

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A tsunami hit the coasts of the Sunda Strait last night, leaving 222 dead, 843 injured and at least 30 missing

A tsunami hit the shores of the Sunda Strait yesterday, between the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java, according to emergency teams. "The tsunami hit several areas of the Sunda Strait, including several beaches in Pandeglang, Serang, and South Lampung," the Indonesian Agency for Disaster Control added. According to the released statement, so far there are 222 dead, 843 injured and at least 30 missing.

Leer en español: Indonesia: el raro fenómeno que provocó la tragedia

The main hypothesis, according to the newspaper El País, is that the waves were caused by the activity of the Anak Krakatoa volcano, successor to the mountain that led to the disastrous eruption of 1883.

However, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesperson for the Indonesian Catastrophe Management Agency, it is a rare phenomenon. "A tsunami is a rare phenomenon in the Sonda Strait. The eruption of Anak Krakatoa has not been significant. The tremor is continuous, but there have not been such high frequencies. The eruption was not very strong and there was no earthquake that triggered the tsunami at that precise moment. It is difficult to determine what was the origin of this incident. "

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But this is not the first or the last time: being seated on the 'Pacific Ring of Fire', Indonesia presents great seismic and volcanic activity. In fact, on September 28, an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 s caused a tsunami that left 2,102 dead and more than 200,000 displaced.

According to Efe, the Disaster Management Agency has asked the population to leave the areas given the continued activity of the volcano and the danger of new tsunamis.

From now until December 25, the warning signs will remain active: "In the case of earthquakes, the probability of a second tsunami is very small, but since this has been caused by an eruption, the scenario is different," he said. a press conference Rahmat Riyono, director of the Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency of Indonesia.

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The distribution of logistical aid to the most affected areas has already begun, according to the authorities, but warned that the main access route is damaged by the tsunami.

Finally, according to El País, the search and rescue tasks of people who remain trapped in the rubble of buildings are also under way.

LatinAmerican Post | Luisa Fernanda Báez

Translated from: 'Indonesia: el raro fenómeno que provocó la tragedia'