Tsunami death toll climbs
The death toll from the Indonesian tsunami has jumped to more than 340 while approximately the same amount are still missing.
Published: 11:31AM BST 28 Oct 2010
Residents injured in the earthquake-triggered tsunami are treated at a makeshift hospital in Sikakap, Mentawai Islands Photo: AP
Indonesian Red Cross volunteers load relief supplies for the tsunami-hit Mentawai islands, at Bungus Teluk Kabung sea port in Indonesia Photo: REUTERS
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Indonesian president, was heading to the disaster zone, where fears were growing for hundreds still missing after a huge wave triggered by a powerful earthquake Monday hit the Mentawais off the west coast of Sumatra. Hundreds of miles away, a mass funeral was held for some of the 32 people killed when the nation's most active volcano erupted on Tuesday.
Disaster response officials said bodies were being found on beaches and coastal areas in the Mentawai island chain, which took the full force of the tsunami as it washed away entire villages. West Sumatra disaster management official Ferry Faisal said "343 people were killed and 338 are still missing". A ship bearing aid including food, water, medical supplies as well as body bags arrived Thursday at Sikakap, on North Pagai island, one of the two worst-hit islands in the Mentawai group.
Survivors said they had almost no warning that the 10-foot wall of water was bearing down on them, despite the laying of a sophisticated network of alarm buoys off the Sumatran coast. The expensive warning system was instituted after the 2004 Asian tsunami, which killed at least 168,000 people in Indonesia alone. An official tsunami warning was issued after Monday's 7.7-magnitude quake but it either came too late or did not reach the communities in most danger.
Medical personnel were arriving on helicopters but boats bearing aid have been hampered by bad weather around the islands, which are about half a day's journey away from the port of Padang on Sumatra. Troops and naval personnel have been dispatched to the area. Indonesian western fleet commander Marsetio said at least five warships were on their way.
