IN PICS: Tsunami set off by volcano sweeps Indonesia coast; over 160 dead
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A tsunami that occurred after the eruption of a volcano killed more than 160 people around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait during a busy holiday weekend, sending water crashing ashore and sweeping away hotels, hundreds of houses and people attending a beach concert.
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More than 700 people were reported injured after the tsunami hit at 9:27 p.m. Saturday, the Disaster Management Agency said. At least 30 others were missing, but the toll could continue to rise because some areas had not yet been reached.
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Scientists, including those from Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics agency, said the tsunami could have been caused by undersea landslides or those occurring above sea level on the volcano’s steep outside slope following the eruption of Anak Krakatau.
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Dramatic footage posted on social media showed an Indonesian pop band named “Seventeen” performing under a tent on a popular beach at a concert for employees of the state-owned electricity company. Dozens of people sat listening at tables covered in white cloths while others bobbed to the music near the stage as bright strobe lights flashed.
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The worst-affected area was the Pandeglang region of Java island’s Banten province, which encompasses Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the disaster agency said.
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Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo expressed his sympathy and ordered government agencies to respond quickly to the disaster.
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The 305-meter (1,000-foot) -high volcano, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of Jakarta, the capital, has been erupting since June. In July, authorities widened its no-go areas to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the crater.