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The tsunami in Indonesia may not be over yet

More than 400 people are dead in the aftermath of a monster tsunami in Indonesia, and more destruction might still be on the way.
More than 400 people are dead in the aftermath of a monster tsunami in Indonesia, and more destruction might still be on the way.

More than 400 people are dead in the aftermath of a monster tsunami in Indonesia, and more destruction might still be on the way.

The tsunami hit Java, an island of Indonesia, on Saturday and caused enough destruction to displace nearly 22,000 people. The volcano, Anak Krakatau — or “Child of Krakatoa” — caused a landslide either above or below the water’s surface and created enormous waves.

Government authorities have now warned the public to stay away from the coastlines in the areas that the tsunami already ravaged. Anak Krakatau is still erupting, which could cause more landslides and send another huge wave crashing into the island.

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When the tsunami hit initially, the people along Java’s coastline barely had any warning. The buoys that detect tsunamis haven’t been working since 2012. That means scientists aren’t sure exactly what caused the tsunami.

Indonesian authorities said they’ll start building a new tsunami detection system sometime next year, according to the BBC.

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People dismantle houses damaged by tsunami in Labuhan, Banten province in Java on Dec. 24, 2018.(The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)

In the meantime, beaches are empty, and cops are riding along the coasts on motorbikes, warning people to stay inland, according to the Guardian. Indonesian authorities have told people to stay back at least 500 meters from the coastline, for fear that another huge wave could be on its way.

The death toll stands now at 430, according to CNN, a number that’s expected to climb as the search for survivors continues. About 1,500 people were injured, and over 150 people are still missing, the Guardian reported.

Among those killed were members of a pop band. The waves crashed ashore around 9:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, near a coast where the band, Seventeen, was performing. The waves swept over them, killing all but one band member.

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A car swept away by tsunami is pictured in Carita, Banten province in Java on Dec. 24, 2018.(The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)

Tsunamis aren’t uncommon in Indonesia, and this one hit nearly 14 years to the day after one of the most devastating waves in recent history crashed over islands in the archipelago nation. That tsunami, back on Dec. 26, 2004, slammed into Indonesia and coastlines across Southeast Asia, killing 230,000 people.

Cover image: A man searches for things at a house damaged by tsunami in Labuhan, Banten province in Java on Dec. 24, 2018. (The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)