Indonesia on Thursday raised the danger alert level for a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesian-rescuers-struggle-against-heavy-rain-to-reach-tsunami-hit-villages-186700">volcano that sparked a killer tsunami</a> at the weekend, after previously warning that fresh activity at the crater threatened to trigger another deadly wave.

Authorities also widened a no-go zone around Anak Krakatoa to five kilometres (three miles) -- up from a previous two kilometres -- and warned shell-shocked residents to stay away from the coast, after more than 400 were killed by Saturday night's killer wave.

Plumes of ash burst into the sky as pyroclastic flows -- hot gas and other volcanic material -- flowed down the crater, raising the risk of rough seas for boats in the vicinity.

Authorities raised the crater's status to high alert, the second-highest danger warning, while aviation officials ordered flights to be redirected away from the area.

"We've raised the status of (the volcano) since this morning because there's been a change in the eruption pattern," Kus Hendratno, a senior official at the Krakatoa observatory, told AFP Thursday.

The new flows posed no immediate danger to area towns as the volcano sits in the middle of the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands.

But the status change sparked new fears with many local residents already scared and refusing to return to their communities over fears of another tsunami.&nbsp;

"This worries me," said Ugi Sugiarti, a cook at the Augusta Hotel in hard-hit Carita. "I've already left."

Sukma, a security guard at the shattered Mutiara Carita Cottages, added: "Just please pray for us and that everything will be okay."

A section of the crater -- which emerged at the site of the Krakatoa volcano, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people -- collapsed after an eruption and slid into the ocean, triggering Saturday night's killer wave.

At least 430 people were killed, with 1,495 people injured and another 159 were missing.&nbsp;

Nearly 22,000 people have been evacuated and are living in shelters.

Indonesia, a vast Southeast Asian archipelago, is one of the most disaster-hit nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.

Indonesia on Thursday raised the danger alert level for a volcano that sparked a killer tsunami at the weekend, after previously warning that fresh activity at the crater threatened to trigger another deadly wave.

Indonesia on Thursday raised the danger alert level for a volcano that sparked a killer tsunami at the weekend, after previously warning that fresh activity at the crater threatened to trigger another deadly wave. Authorities also widened a no-go zone around Anak Krakatoa to five kilometres (three miles) -- up from a previous two kilometres -- and warned shell-shocked residents to stay away from the coast, after more than 400 were killed by Saturday night's killer wave. Plumes of ash burst into the sky as pyroclastic flows -- hot gas and other volcanic material -- flowed down the crater, raising the risk of rough seas for boats in the vicinity. Authorities raised the crater's status to high alert, the second-highest danger warning, while aviation officials ordered flights to be redirected away from the area. "We've raised the status of (the volcano) since this morning because there's been a change in the eruption pattern," Kus Hendratno, a senior official at the Krakatoa observatory, told AFP Thursday. The new flows posed no immediate danger to area towns as the volcano sits in the middle of the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands. But the status change sparked new fears with many local residents already scared and refusing to return to their communities over fears of another tsunami. "This worries me," said Ugi Sugiarti, a cook at the Augusta Hotel in hard-hit Carita. "I've already left." Sukma, a security guard at the shattered Mutiara Carita Cottages, added: "Just please pray for us and that everything will be okay." A section of the crater -- which emerged at the site of the Krakatoa volcano, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people -- collapsed after an eruption and slid into the ocean, triggering Saturday night's killer wave. At least 430 people were killed, with 1,495 people injured and another 159 were missing. Nearly 22,000 people have been evacuated and are living in shelters. Indonesia, a vast Southeast Asian archipelago, is one of the most disaster-hit nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.

Indonesia hikes danger level for deadly tsunami volcano, flights redirected away from area

Indonesian authorities warned on Wednesday of "extreme weather and high waves" around the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano, urging people to stay away from the coast already devastated by a tsunami that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-gravitas-death-toll-in-indonesia-tsunami-climbs-to-429-over-1000-hurt-186471">killed more than 400 people</a>.&nbsp;

Clouds of ash spewed from Anak Krakatau, almost obscuring the volcanic island where a crater collapse at high tide on Saturday sent waves up to 5 metres (16 feet) high smashing into the coast on the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra islands.

Indonesia's meteorology agency (BMKG) said late on Tuesday the rough weather around the volcano could make its crater more fragile.

"We have developed a monitoring system focused specifically on the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-rescuers-scramble-to-reach-isolated-tsunami-struck-towns-186506">volcanic tremors at Anak Krakatau </a>so that we can issue early warnings," said BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati, adding that a two-kilometre exclusion zone had been imposed.

The confirmed death toll is 429, with at least 154 people missing. More than 1,400 people were injured and thousands of people have moved to higher ground.

The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade.&nbsp;

The latest disaster, coming during the Christmas season, evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on December 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

The Saturday evening tsunami followed the collapse of an area of the volcano island of about 64 hectares (222 acres), or about 90 soccer pitches.&nbsp;

The waves generated engulfed fishing villages and holiday beach parties at resorts, leaving a coast littered with crushed vehicles, felled trees. Chunks of metal, wooden beams and household items have been strewn across roads and rice fields.

In 1883, the volcano then known as Krakatoa erupted in one of the biggest blasts in recorded history, killing more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunami, and lowering the global surface temperature by one degree Celsius with its ash.&nbsp;

Anak Krakatau (child of Krakatau) is the island that emerged from the area in 1927, and has been growing ever since.

Rescuers were trying on Wednesday to reach several villages still inaccessible by road.

Thousands of people are staying in tents and temporary shelters like mosques or schools, with dozens sleeping on the floor or in crowded public facilities. 
Ayub, a 20-year old fisherman sleeping with his family in a tent provided by the military, said conditions were not ideal due to the rain, but that they had enough to eat.

"Everything is destroyed ... My boat, motorcycle, house - all of it," he told Reuters.&nbsp;

"The most important thing is we’re alive.”

Indonesian authorities warned on Wednesday of "extreme weather and high waves" around the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano, urging people to stay away from the coast already devastated by a tsunami that killed more than 400 people.

Indonesian authorities warned on Wednesday of "extreme weather and high waves" around the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano, urging people to stay away from the coast already devastated by a tsunami that killed more than 400 people. Clouds of ash spewed from Anak Krakatau, almost obscuring the volcanic island where a crater collapse at high tide on Saturday sent waves up to 5 metres (16 feet) high smashing into the coast on the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra islands. Indonesia's meteorology agency (BMKG) said late on Tuesday the rough weather around the volcano could make its crater more fragile. "We have developed a monitoring system focused specifically on the volcanic tremors at Anak Krakatau so that we can issue early warnings," said BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati, adding that a two-kilometre exclusion zone had been imposed. The confirmed death toll is 429, with at least 154 people missing. More than 1,400 people were injured and thousands of people have moved to higher ground. The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade. The latest disaster, coming during the Christmas season, evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on December 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. The Saturday evening tsunami followed the collapse of an area of the volcano island of about 64 hectares (222 acres), or about 90 soccer pitches. The waves generated engulfed fishing villages and holiday beach parties at resorts, leaving a coast littered with crushed vehicles, felled trees. Chunks of metal, wooden beams and household items have been strewn across roads and rice fields. In 1883, the volcano then known as Krakatoa erupted in one of the biggest blasts in recorded history, killing more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunami, and lowering the global surface temperature by one degree Celsius with its ash. Anak Krakatau (child of Krakatau) is the island that emerged from the area in 1927, and has been growing ever since. Rescuers were trying on Wednesday to reach several villages still inaccessible by road. Thousands of people are staying in tents and temporary shelters like mosques or schools, with dozens sleeping on the floor or in crowded public facilities. Ayub, a 20-year old fisherman sleeping with his family in a tent provided by the military, said conditions were not ideal due to the rain, but that they had enough to eat. "Everything is destroyed ... My boat, motorcycle, house - all of it," he told Reuters. "The most important thing is we’re alive.”

Indonesia issues 'extreme weather' warning for tsunami-hit coast near Krakatau

Indonesia tsunami: Death toll rises to 429, over 1000 hurt

Indonesian search and rescue teams Wednesday plucked stranded residents from remote islands and pushed into isolated communities still desperate for aid in the aftermath of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/indonesia-tsunami-death-toll-climbs-to-429-over-1000-hurt-186447">volcano-triggered tsunami that killed more than 400</a>.

Medical workers have warned that clean water and medicine supplies were running low -- stoking fears of a public health crisis -- as thousands of displaced survivors cram shelters and hospitals. Many were left homeless by the killer wave.

The disaster agency said it has dispatched helicopters to drop supplies into a handful of hard-to-reach communities along the shattered coastlines of western Java and south Sumatra.

Hundreds of residents still <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/rescue-of-tsunami-victims-continues-in-indonesia-186378">stranded on tiny islands in the Sunda Strait</a>, which separates Java and Sumatra, will be airlifted or taken by boat to shelters, the agency said.

Sniffer dogs are being used to find those still missing as grief-stricken relatives lined up at identification centres, but hopes of finding any survivors beneath the rubble have dwindled.

"We're starting to access the most isolated places hit by the tsunami," said senior disaster agency official Dody Ruswandi.

"The devastation there is pretty massive, but we had not been able to get in there in the first couple of days."

Some roads and bridges near isolated communities had been damaged, making road access more difficult, he added.&nbsp;

The powerful tsunami struck Saturday night without warning, sweeping over popular beaches and inundating tourist hotels and coastal communities, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

The latest death toll stood at 429, with 1,485 people injured and another 154 still missing.

'Broken homes, broken bones'

An eruption of the rumbling Anak Krakatoa volcano, which sits in the middle of the Strait separating Java and Sumatra, caused a section of the crater to collapse and slide into the ocean, triggering the tsunami, officials have said.

Anak Krakatoa is an island that emerged in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people.

Experts have warned that volcanic activity at the site remains high and more deadly waves could slam the stricken region now covered by mountains of overturned cars, boats, furniture and other debris.&nbsp;

Many evacuees are too afraid to go home.

The Indonesian Red Cross said more than 400 staff and volunteers are delivering clean water, blanket, tarpaulins and other supplies, while it dispatched mobile medical units.

"Our teams are seeing many broken bones and broken homes, and people who are very shaken," said Arifin Hadi, head of disaster management at the Indonesian Red Cross.&nbsp;

"Indonesians have withstood a string of disasters this year and with them, so much loss and misery."&nbsp;

Jakarta has so far rebuffed offers of international aid, saying the disaster-prone country could handle the crisis.

The tsunami was Indonesia's third major natural disaster in six months, following a series of powerful earthquakes on the island of Lombok in July and August and a quake-tsunami in September that killed around 2,200 people in Palu on Sulawesi island, with thousands more missing and presumed dead.

On Wednesday, thousands were expected to pray for loved ones at mass graves and mosques Wednesday to mark the 14th anniversary of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

It was one of the deadliest disasters in history, killing some 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including some 168,000 Indonesians, most in Aceh at the northern tip of Sumatra.

Indonesia, a vast Southeast Asian archipelago, is one of the most disaster-hit nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.

Indonesian search and rescue teams Wednesday plucked stranded residents from remote islands and pushed into isolated communities still desperate for aid in the aftermath of a volcano-triggered tsunami that killed more than 400.

Indonesian search and rescue teams Wednesday plucked stranded residents from remote islands and pushed into isolated communities still desperate for aid in the aftermath of a volcano-triggered tsunami that killed more than 400. Medical workers have warned that clean water and medicine supplies were running low -- stoking fears of a public health crisis -- as thousands of displaced survivors cram shelters and hospitals. Many were left homeless by the killer wave. The disaster agency said it has dispatched helicopters to drop supplies into a handful of hard-to-reach communities along the shattered coastlines of western Java and south Sumatra. Hundreds of residents still stranded on tiny islands in the Sunda Strait, which separates Java and Sumatra, will be airlifted or taken by boat to shelters, the agency said. Sniffer dogs are being used to find those still missing as grief-stricken relatives lined up at identification centres, but hopes of finding any survivors beneath the rubble have dwindled. "We're starting to access the most isolated places hit by the tsunami," said senior disaster agency official Dody Ruswandi. "The devastation there is pretty massive, but we had not been able to get in there in the first couple of days." Some roads and bridges near isolated communities had been damaged, making road access more difficult, he added. The powerful tsunami struck Saturday night without warning, sweeping over popular beaches and inundating tourist hotels and coastal communities, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake. The latest death toll stood at 429, with 1,485 people injured and another 154 still missing. 'Broken homes, broken bones' An eruption of the rumbling Anak Krakatoa volcano, which sits in the middle of the Strait separating Java and Sumatra, caused a section of the crater to collapse and slide into the ocean, triggering the tsunami, officials have said. Anak Krakatoa is an island that emerged in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people. Experts have warned that volcanic activity at the site remains high and more deadly waves could slam the stricken region now covered by mountains of overturned cars, boats, furniture and other debris. Many evacuees are too afraid to go home. The Indonesian Red Cross said more than 400 staff and volunteers are delivering clean water, blanket, tarpaulins and other supplies, while it dispatched mobile medical units. "Our teams are seeing many broken bones and broken homes, and people who are very shaken," said Arifin Hadi, head of disaster management at the Indonesian Red Cross. "Indonesians have withstood a string of disasters this year and with them, so much loss and misery." Jakarta has so far rebuffed offers of international aid, saying the disaster-prone country could handle the crisis. The tsunami was Indonesia's third major natural disaster in six months, following a series of powerful earthquakes on the island of Lombok in July and August and a quake-tsunami in September that killed around 2,200 people in Palu on Sulawesi island, with thousands more missing and presumed dead. On Wednesday, thousands were expected to pray for loved ones at mass graves and mosques Wednesday to mark the 14th anniversary of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. It was one of the deadliest disasters in history, killing some 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including some 168,000 Indonesians, most in Aceh at the northern tip of Sumatra. Indonesia, a vast Southeast Asian archipelago, is one of the most disaster-hit nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.

Indonesia rescuers scramble to reach isolated tsunami-struck towns

Indonesian rescue teams on Wednesday struggled to reach remote areas on the western coast of Java amid an "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-issues-extreme-weather-warning-for-tsunami-hit-coast-near-krakatau-186536">extreme weather</a>" rain warning after a tsunami killed more than 400 people last week.

Heavy rain lashed fishing villages along the coast, muddying roads and holding up convoys delivering heavy machinery and aid to isolated areas while authorities urged residents to stay away from the shore in case of further waves.

Clouds of ash spewed from the nearby Anak Krakatau, or child of Krakatau, almost obscuring the volcanic island where a crater collapse at high tide on Saturday sent waves up to 5 metres (16 feet) high smashing into the coast on the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra islands.

Indonesia's meteorology agency (BMKG) said the rough weather could make the volcano's crater more fragile.

"We have developed a monitoring system focused specifically on the volcanic tremors at Anak Krakatau so that we can issue early warnings," said BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati, adding that a two-kilometre exclusion zone had been imposed.

The confirmed death toll is 430, with at least 159 people missing. Nearly 1,500 people were injured and over 21,000 people have evacuated to higher ground.

A state of emergency has been declared until January 4, which authorities hope will make it easier to deploy assistance, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency.

Search and rescue teams were focused on the town of Sumur near the southwest tip of Java, but "the roads are damaged and clogged" and helicopters had to be deployed to carry out assessments and evacuations, he added.

Volunteers were having to piece together makeshift bridges out of concrete blocks after the waves washed away infrastructure along the coast.

Indonesia is a vast archipelago that sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire". This year, the country has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade.

The latest disaster, coming during the Christmas season, evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

The Saturday evening tsunami followed the collapse of an area of the volcano island of about 64 hectares (222 acres), or about 90 soccer pitches.

The waves engulfed fishing villages and holiday resorts, leaving a coast littered with the matchwood of homes, crushed vehicles and fallen trees. Children's toys and rides at a seaside carnival in Sumur were left scattered along a swampy beach.

The surge of seawater also left dozens of turtles, weighing several kilograms, stranded on land, and some volunteer rescuers worked to carry them back to the sea.

On Sebesi Island in the middle of the Sunda Strait, helicopters had been dispatched to evacuate residents.

Along the coast, thousands of people are staying in tents and temporary shelters like mosques or schools, with dozens sleeping on the floor or in crowded public facilities. Rice and instant noodles have been delivered to many shelters, but clean water, wet weather gear, fresh clothes, and blankets are in short supply, some evacuees said.

Ade Hasanah, 45, staying in an emergency centre with her children, said people were being told not to return to their homes.

"It's safe here," she said. "We hope if the children are safe and the situation is stable, we can go home quickly. We're restless."

In 1883, the volcano then known as Krakatoa erupted in one of the biggest blasts in recorded history, killing more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis and lowering the global surface temperature by one degree Celsius with its ash.

Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from the area in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Indonesian rescue teams on Wednesday struggled to reach remote areas on the western coast of Java amid an "extreme weather" rain warning after a tsunami killed more than 400 people last week.

Indonesian rescue teams on Wednesday struggled to reach remote areas on the western coast of Java amid an "extreme weather" rain warning after a tsunami killed more than 400 people last week. Heavy rain lashed fishing villages along the coast, muddying roads and holding up convoys delivering heavy machinery and aid to isolated areas while authorities urged residents to stay away from the shore in case of further waves. Clouds of ash spewed from the nearby Anak Krakatau, or child of Krakatau, almost obscuring the volcanic island where a crater collapse at high tide on Saturday sent waves up to 5 metres (16 feet) high smashing into the coast on the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra islands. Indonesia's meteorology agency (BMKG) said the rough weather could make the volcano's crater more fragile. "We have developed a monitoring system focused specifically on the volcanic tremors at Anak Krakatau so that we can issue early warnings," said BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati, adding that a two-kilometre exclusion zone had been imposed. The confirmed death toll is 430, with at least 159 people missing. Nearly 1,500 people were injured and over 21,000 people have evacuated to higher ground. A state of emergency has been declared until January 4, which authorities hope will make it easier to deploy assistance, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency. Search and rescue teams were focused on the town of Sumur near the southwest tip of Java, but "the roads are damaged and clogged" and helicopters had to be deployed to carry out assessments and evacuations, he added. Volunteers were having to piece together makeshift bridges out of concrete blocks after the waves washed away infrastructure along the coast. Indonesia is a vast archipelago that sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire". This year, the country has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade. The latest disaster, coming during the Christmas season, evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. The Saturday evening tsunami followed the collapse of an area of the volcano island of about 64 hectares (222 acres), or about 90 soccer pitches. The waves engulfed fishing villages and holiday resorts, leaving a coast littered with the matchwood of homes, crushed vehicles and fallen trees. Children's toys and rides at a seaside carnival in Sumur were left scattered along a swampy beach. The surge of seawater also left dozens of turtles, weighing several kilograms, stranded on land, and some volunteer rescuers worked to carry them back to the sea. On Sebesi Island in the middle of the Sunda Strait, helicopters had been dispatched to evacuate residents. Along the coast, thousands of people are staying in tents and temporary shelters like mosques or schools, with dozens sleeping on the floor or in crowded public facilities. Rice and instant noodles have been delivered to many shelters, but clean water, wet weather gear, fresh clothes, and blankets are in short supply, some evacuees said. Ade Hasanah, 45, staying in an emergency centre with her children, said people were being told not to return to their homes. "It's safe here," she said. "We hope if the children are safe and the situation is stable, we can go home quickly. We're restless." In 1883, the volcano then known as Krakatoa erupted in one of the biggest blasts in recorded history, killing more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis and lowering the global surface temperature by one degree Celsius with its ash. Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from the area in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Indonesian rescuers struggle against heavy rain to reach tsunami-hit villages

In pics: 2018, a catastrophic year for Indonesia

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rescuers-dig-through-rubble-for-survivors-after-indonesian-tsunami-kills-280-186101">Indonesian rescuers</a> on Tuesday used drones and sniffer dogs to search for survivors along the devastated west coast of Java hit by a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-tsunami-death-toll-climbs-to-222-over-800-injured-185999">series of tsunamis</a> that killed at least 373 people, warning more victims are expected to be uncovered as the search expands.

Thick ash clouds continued to spew from Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island where a crater collapse at high tide on Saturday sending tsunamis smashing into coastal areas on both sides of the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java.

At least 128 people remain missing. More than 1,400 people were injured, and thousands of residents had to move to higher ground, with a high-tide warning extended to Wednesday.

Rescuers used heavy machinery, sniffer dogs, and special cameras to detect and dig bodies out of mud and wreckage along a 100 km (60 miles) stretch of Java's west coast and officials said the search area would be expanded further south.

"There are several locations that we previously thought were not affected," said Yusuf Latif, spokesman for the national search and rescue agency.

"But now we are reaching more remote areas...and in fact, there are many victims there," he added.

The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade.

Earthquakes flattened parts of the island of Lombok in July and August, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed more than 2,000 people on a remote part of Sulawesi island in September.

"At least 373 people have died, while 128 people are currently missing," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the disaster mitigation agency, said on Monday evening.

It took just 24 minutes after the landslide for waves to hit land, and there was no early warning for those living on the coast.

"Everything is destroyed''

Authorities and experts have warned of further high waves and advised residents to stay away from the shoreline.

"Since Anak Krakatau has been actively erupting for the past several months' additional tsunamis cannot be excluded," said Dr Prof Hermann Fritz, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States.

Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rainfall and low visibility. Military and volunteer rescue teams used drones to assess the extent of the damage. One team used sniffer dogs to search for survivors at the beach club where a tsunami washed away an outdoor stage where the Indonesian rock band Seventeen were performing at a party for about 200 guests.

Destruction was visible along much of the coastline where waves of up to two metres (six feet) crushed vehicles, lifted chunks of metal, felled trees, wooden beams and household items and deposited them on roads and rice fields.

Nurjana, 20, ran uphill after the tsunami hit. Her beachside snack stall was washed away.

"I opened the door straight away and saved myself. I jumped over the wall," she said. "Everything is destroyed."

Out in the strait, Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) was still erupting, belching white smoke and ash into the sky.

The meteorology agency said that an area of about 64 hectares, or 90 soccer pitches, of the volcanic island, had collapsed into the sea.

In 1883, the volcano then known as Krakatoa erupted in one of the biggest blasts in recorded history, killing more than 36,000 people in a series of the tsunami, and lowering the global surface temperature by one degree Celsius with its ash. Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from the area in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Saturday's high waves isolated hundreds of people on Sebesi island, about 12 km (seven miles) volcano.

"We are completely paralysed," Syamsiar, a village secretary on the island, told Metro TV, calling for food and medicine.

President Joko Widodo, who is running for re-election in April, told disaster agencies to install early warning systems, but experts said that, unlike tsunami caused by earthquakes, little could have been done in time to alert people that waves were coming.

Memories of 2004

"Tsunamis from volcanic flank collapse are generated right at the coast and often close to populations," said Eddie Dempsey, lecturer in structural geology at Britain's University of Hull.

"The interval between the volcanic collapse and the arrival of the waves is minimal."

The timing of the disaster over the Christmas season evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

Food, water, blankets, and medical aid has started arriving in the area.

District chief Atmadja Suhara said he was helping to care for 4,000 refugees, many of them homeless.

"Everybody is still in a state of panic," he said. "We often have disasters, but not as bad as this."

"God willing," he said, "we will rebuild."

Indonesian rescuers on Tuesday used drones and sniffer dogs to search for survivors along the devastated west coast of Java hit by a series of tsunamis that killed at least 373 people, warning more victims are expected to be uncovered as the search expands.

Indonesian rescuers on Tuesday used drones and sniffer dogs to search for survivors along the devastated west coast of Java hit by a series of tsunamis that killed at least 373 people, warning more victims are expected to be uncovered as the search expands. Thick ash clouds continued to spew from Anak Krakatau, a volcanic island where a crater collapse at high tide on Saturday sending tsunamis smashing into coastal areas on both sides of the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java. At least 128 people remain missing. More than 1,400 people were injured, and thousands of residents had to move to higher ground, with a high-tide warning extended to Wednesday. Rescuers used heavy machinery, sniffer dogs, and special cameras to detect and dig bodies out of mud and wreckage along a 100 km (60 miles) stretch of Java's west coast and officials said the search area would be expanded further south. "There are several locations that we previously thought were not affected," said Yusuf Latif, spokesman for the national search and rescue agency. "But now we are reaching more remote areas...and in fact, there are many victims there," he added. The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade. Earthquakes flattened parts of the island of Lombok in July and August, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed more than 2,000 people on a remote part of Sulawesi island in September. "At least 373 people have died, while 128 people are currently missing," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the disaster mitigation agency, said on Monday evening. It took just 24 minutes after the landslide for waves to hit land, and there was no early warning for those living on the coast. "Everything is destroyed'' Authorities and experts have warned of further high waves and advised residents to stay away from the shoreline. "Since Anak Krakatau has been actively erupting for the past several months' additional tsunamis cannot be excluded," said Dr Prof Hermann Fritz, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States. Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rainfall and low visibility. Military and volunteer rescue teams used drones to assess the extent of the damage. One team used sniffer dogs to search for survivors at the beach club where a tsunami washed away an outdoor stage where the Indonesian rock band Seventeen were performing at a party for about 200 guests. Destruction was visible along much of the coastline where waves of up to two metres (six feet) crushed vehicles, lifted chunks of metal, felled trees, wooden beams and household items and deposited them on roads and rice fields. Nurjana, 20, ran uphill after the tsunami hit. Her beachside snack stall was washed away. "I opened the door straight away and saved myself. I jumped over the wall," she said. "Everything is destroyed." Out in the strait, Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) was still erupting, belching white smoke and ash into the sky. The meteorology agency said that an area of about 64 hectares, or 90 soccer pitches, of the volcanic island, had collapsed into the sea. In 1883, the volcano then known as Krakatoa erupted in one of the biggest blasts in recorded history, killing more than 36,000 people in a series of the tsunami, and lowering the global surface temperature by one degree Celsius with its ash. Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from the area in 1927 and has been growing ever since. Saturday's high waves isolated hundreds of people on Sebesi island, about 12 km (seven miles) volcano. "We are completely paralysed," Syamsiar, a village secretary on the island, told Metro TV, calling for food and medicine. President Joko Widodo, who is running for re-election in April, told disaster agencies to install early warning systems, but experts said that, unlike tsunami caused by earthquakes, little could have been done in time to alert people that waves were coming. Memories of 2004 "Tsunamis from volcanic flank collapse are generated right at the coast and often close to populations," said Eddie Dempsey, lecturer in structural geology at Britain's University of Hull. "The interval between the volcanic collapse and the arrival of the waves is minimal." The timing of the disaster over the Christmas season evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. Food, water, blankets, and medical aid has started arriving in the area. District chief Atmadja Suhara said he was helping to care for 4,000 refugees, many of them homeless. "Everybody is still in a state of panic," he said. "We often have disasters, but not as bad as this." "God willing," he said, "we will rebuild."

Indonesian rescuers use drones, sniffer dogs as tsunami death toll touches 373

WION Gravitas: Death toll in Indonesia tsunami climbs to 429, over 1000 hurt

Desperately-needed aid flowed into a stretch of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-tsunami-death-toll-rises-to-373-over-1400-injured-186217">Indonesia's tsunami</a>-struck coastline Tuesday, but humanitarian workers warned that clean water and medicine supplies were dwindling as thousands crammed makeshift evacuation centres.

Fears about a public health crisis come as the death toll from Saturday's volcano-triggered disaster topped 400 with thousands more displaced many left homeless after houses were flattened by the killer wave.

"A lot of the children are sick with fevers, headaches and they haven't had enough water," said Rizal Alimin, a doctor working for NGO Aksi Cepat Tanggap, at a local school that was turned into a temporary shelter.

"We have less medicine than usual ... It's not healthy here for evacuees. There isn't enough clean water. They need food and people are sleeping on the floor."

The powerful tsunami struck at night and without warning, sweeping over popular beaches on southern Sumatra and the western edge of Java and inundating tourist hotels and coastal settlements.

The latest death toll stood at 429, with 1,485 people injured and another 154 missing.

Experts have warned that more deadly waves could slam the stricken region now covered by mountains of overturned cars, boats, furniture and other debris.

Many evacuees are too afraid to return home, fearing another tsunami.

"I've been here three days," said Neng Sumarni, 40, who was sleeping with her three children and husband on the school's floor with some three dozen others.

"I'm scared because my home is right near the beach."

Authorities are using sniffer dogs to try to find any survivors and victims' bodies, while they have turned to drones to survey the devastated coastlines.

"We are still searching for victims who might still be buried under the rubble," said Ketut Sukarta, head of the disaster agency in South Lampung on Sumatra.

'Can't reach them'&nbsp;

Abu Salim, with volunteer disaster aid group Tagana, said aid workers were scrambling to stabilise the situation.

"Today we're focusing on helping the evacuees in shelters by setting up public kitchens and distributing logistics and more tents in suitable places," he told AFP on Tuesday.

"(People) still, don't have access to running water ... There are many evacuees who fled to higher ground and we still can't reach them."

Aid was flowing in mainly by road while two government boats were on their way to several islands near the Sumatran coast to help dozens of marooned residents.

In shattered Way Muli village on Sumatra, Udin Ahok was coming to grips with the horrible choice he was forced to make: save his wife or his mother and baby.

When the tsunami slammed into his house, the panicked Ahok fought to reach his sleeping 70-year-old mother and one-year-old son but then he saw his wife about to drown in the swirling waters. He plucked her to safety.

His mother and baby were found dead under mountains of debris.

"I didn't have time to save my mother and son," the weeping 46-year-old told AFP from a shelter in one of the stricken region's hardest-hit areas.

"I regret it so much. I can only hope they've been given a place in God's hands."

Across the Sunda Strait in Java island, Saki stood amid the rubble of what was once Sumber Jaya village and wondered aloud how he would get his life back on track.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I can't rebuild, everything is gone -- my clothes, my money," said the 60-year-old, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

String of disasters&nbsp;

Officials say the evidence suggested that an eruption of the rumbling Anak Krakatoa volcano, which sits in the middle of the Strait, caused a section of the crater to collapse and slide into the ocean, triggering the tsunami.

Anak Krakatoa is an island that emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people.

Unlike those caused by earthquakes, which usually trigger alert systems, volcano-triggered tsunamis give authorities very little time to warn residents of the impending threat.

Indonesia's disaster agency initially said there was no tsunami threat at all, even as the killer wave crashed ashore.

It was later forced to issue a correction and an apology as it pointed to a lack of early warning systems for the high death toll.

Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Monday: "The lack of a tsunami early warning system caused a lot of victims because people did not have the time to evacuate."

The tsunami was Indonesia's third major natural disaster in six months, following a series of powerful earthquakes on the island of Lombok in July and August and a quake-tsunami in September that killed around 2,200 people in Palu on Sulawesi island, with thousands more missing and presumed dead.

It also came less than a week before the 14th anniversary of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, one of the deadliest disasters in history that killed some 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including some 168,000 Indonesians.

The vast archipelago nation is one of the most disaster-hit nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.

Desperately-needed aid flowed into a stretch of Indonesia's tsunami-struck coastline Tuesday, but humanitarian workers warned that clean water and medicine supplies were dwindling as thousands crammed makeshift evacuation centres.

Desperately-needed aid flowed into a stretch of Indonesia's tsunami-struck coastline Tuesday, but humanitarian workers warned that clean water and medicine supplies were dwindling as thousands crammed makeshift evacuation centres. Fears about a public health crisis come as the death toll from Saturday's volcano-triggered disaster topped 400 with thousands more displaced many left homeless after houses were flattened by the killer wave. "A lot of the children are sick with fevers, headaches and they haven't had enough water," said Rizal Alimin, a doctor working for NGO Aksi Cepat Tanggap, at a local school that was turned into a temporary shelter. "We have less medicine than usual ... It's not healthy here for evacuees. There isn't enough clean water. They need food and people are sleeping on the floor." The powerful tsunami struck at night and without warning, sweeping over popular beaches on southern Sumatra and the western edge of Java and inundating tourist hotels and coastal settlements. The latest death toll stood at 429, with 1,485 people injured and another 154 missing. Experts have warned that more deadly waves could slam the stricken region now covered by mountains of overturned cars, boats, furniture and other debris. Many evacuees are too afraid to return home, fearing another tsunami. "I've been here three days," said Neng Sumarni, 40, who was sleeping with her three children and husband on the school's floor with some three dozen others. "I'm scared because my home is right near the beach." Authorities are using sniffer dogs to try to find any survivors and victims' bodies, while they have turned to drones to survey the devastated coastlines. "We are still searching for victims who might still be buried under the rubble," said Ketut Sukarta, head of the disaster agency in South Lampung on Sumatra. 'Can't reach them' Abu Salim, with volunteer disaster aid group Tagana, said aid workers were scrambling to stabilise the situation. "Today we're focusing on helping the evacuees in shelters by setting up public kitchens and distributing logistics and more tents in suitable places," he told AFP on Tuesday. "(People) still, don't have access to running water ... There are many evacuees who fled to higher ground and we still can't reach them." Aid was flowing in mainly by road while two government boats were on their way to several islands near the Sumatran coast to help dozens of marooned residents. In shattered Way Muli village on Sumatra, Udin Ahok was coming to grips with the horrible choice he was forced to make: save his wife or his mother and baby. When the tsunami slammed into his house, the panicked Ahok fought to reach his sleeping 70-year-old mother and one-year-old son but then he saw his wife about to drown in the swirling waters. He plucked her to safety. His mother and baby were found dead under mountains of debris. "I didn't have time to save my mother and son," the weeping 46-year-old told AFP from a shelter in one of the stricken region's hardest-hit areas. "I regret it so much. I can only hope they've been given a place in God's hands." Across the Sunda Strait in Java island, Saki stood amid the rubble of what was once Sumber Jaya village and wondered aloud how he would get his life back on track. "I can't rebuild, everything is gone -- my clothes, my money," said the 60-year-old, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. String of disasters Officials say the evidence suggested that an eruption of the rumbling Anak Krakatoa volcano, which sits in the middle of the Strait, caused a section of the crater to collapse and slide into the ocean, triggering the tsunami. Anak Krakatoa is an island that emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people. Unlike those caused by earthquakes, which usually trigger alert systems, volcano-triggered tsunamis give authorities very little time to warn residents of the impending threat. Indonesia's disaster agency initially said there was no tsunami threat at all, even as the killer wave crashed ashore. It was later forced to issue a correction and an apology as it pointed to a lack of early warning systems for the high death toll. Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Monday: "The lack of a tsunami early warning system caused a lot of victims because people did not have the time to evacuate." The tsunami was Indonesia's third major natural disaster in six months, following a series of powerful earthquakes on the island of Lombok in July and August and a quake-tsunami in September that killed around 2,200 people in Palu on Sulawesi island, with thousands more missing and presumed dead. It also came less than a week before the 14th anniversary of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, one of the deadliest disasters in history that killed some 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including some 168,000 Indonesians. The vast archipelago nation is one of the most disaster-hit nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.

Indonesia tsunami survivors cram shelters as death toll crosses 400

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/another-tsunami-could-hit-indonesia-experts-warn-186056">tsunami in Indonesia</a> killed at least 373 people and injured more than 1,400 on the islands of Java and Sumatra, an official said on Monday.

"1,459 people are injured, while 128 remain missing," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rescuers-dig-through-rubble-for-survivors-after-indonesian-tsunami-kills-280-186101">Survivors of the tsunami</a>&nbsp;received aid from community and religious groups but not yet from the government, a neighbourhood chief in the town of Labuan, Pandeglang, told Reuters.

People searched through the debris of collapsed houses as aid posts were set up in the coastal town, part of the worst-affected area on Java's west coast.

Rescuers using heavy machinery and their bare hands searched through debris, pulling out bodies in the worst-affected areas on the west coast of Java island, where and hundreds of soldiers and volunteers looked for victims along a 100 km (60 miles) stretch of shore.

President Joko Widodo visited the affected area on Monday and praised the authorities for swift action in responding to the latest disaster.

Social media footage showed how the tsunami washed away an outdoor stage where Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing for about 200 guests at a party for utility company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN).

41 PLN employees and their relatives died. At least four band members and support crew were killed, lead singer Riefian "Ifan" Fajarsyah told followers in a tearful post on Instagram.

Dudi Dwiriadi, a district military commander, said personnel and volunteers had been briefed to sweep at least 100 km (60 miles) of coastline in search of victims.

The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade. Earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok in July and August, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed more than 2,000 people on Sulawesi island in September.

Aerial video footage of the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra showed Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) still erupting on Sunday night, with sustained bursts of white smoke and ash filling the sky.

The tsunami in Indonesia killed at least 373 people and injured more than 1,400 on the islands of Java and Sumatra, an official said on Monday. "1,459 people are injured, while 128 remain missing," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement.

The tsunami in Indonesia killed at least 373 people and injured more than 1,400 on the islands of Java and Sumatra, an official said on Monday. "1,459 people are injured, while 128 remain missing," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement. Survivors of the tsunami received aid from community and religious groups but not yet from the government, a neighbourhood chief in the town of Labuan, Pandeglang, told Reuters. People searched through the debris of collapsed houses as aid posts were set up in the coastal town, part of the worst-affected area on Java's west coast. Rescuers using heavy machinery and their bare hands searched through debris, pulling out bodies in the worst-affected areas on the west coast of Java island, where and hundreds of soldiers and volunteers looked for victims along a 100 km (60 miles) stretch of shore. President Joko Widodo visited the affected area on Monday and praised the authorities for swift action in responding to the latest disaster. Social media footage showed how the tsunami washed away an outdoor stage where Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing for about 200 guests at a party for utility company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). 41 PLN employees and their relatives died. At least four band members and support crew were killed, lead singer Riefian "Ifan" Fajarsyah told followers in a tearful post on Instagram. Dudi Dwiriadi, a district military commander, said personnel and volunteers had been briefed to sweep at least 100 km (60 miles) of coastline in search of victims. The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade. Earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok in July and August, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed more than 2,000 people on Sulawesi island in September. Aerial video footage of the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra showed Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatau) still erupting on Sunday night, with sustained bursts of white smoke and ash filling the sky.

Indonesia tsunami: Death toll rises to 373, several still missing

Another tsunami could strike Indonesia, experts warned on Sunday, a day after more than&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-tsunami-death-toll-climbs-to-222-over-800-injured-185999">200 people were killed</a> by a wave triggered by a volcanic eruption.

What caused the tsunami?

The tsunami "appears to have been caused by an underwater collapse" of part of the Anak (or "child of") Krakatoa volcano, said David Rothery of The Open University in Britain.

Anak Krakatoa is a new island that emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people.

The volcano has been particularly active since June, noted Jacques-Marie Bardintzeff at the University of Paris-South.&nbsp;

The tsunami that struck on Saturday was the third to hit Indonesia in six months.

Indonesia has 127 active volcanoes and lies on the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire" where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent.

Why was it so deadly?

Anak Krakatoa, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, is close to densely populated zones.

And while the tsunami was relatively small, Richard Teeuw of the University of Portsmouth in England said: "Such waves -- laden with debris -- can be deadly for coastal communities, especially if there is no warning."

Simon Boxall of Southampton University added that the region was also in spring tide, "and it would appear that the wave hit some of the coastal areas at the highest point of this high tide, exacerbating the damage done."

It also struck at night, further catching people by surprise.

Why were people not warned?

"We were helpless given how sudden" the event took place, Bardintzeff said. "The time between cause and effect was a few dozen minutes, which was too short to warn the population".

"Tsunami warning buoys are positioned to warn of tsunamis originated by earthquakes at underwater tectonic plate boundaries," Rothry said.

"Even if there had been such a buoy right next to Anak Krakatoa, this is so close to the affected shorelines that warning time would have been minimal given the high speeds at which tsunami waves travel."

Could more tsunamis be coming?

"The likelihood of further tsunamis in the Sunda Strait will remain high while Anak Krakatoa volcano is going through its current active phase because that might trigger further submarine landslides," Teeuw said.

Bardintzeff also warned that "we must be wary now that the volcano has been destabilised".

Teeuw said that sonar surveys would now be needed to map the seafloor around the volcano, but "unfortunately submarine surveys typically take many months to organise and carry out," he added.

But "devastating tsunami caused by volcanic eruptions are rare; one of the most famous (and deadly) was caused by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883."

Another tsunami could strike Indonesia, experts warned on Sunday, a day after more than 200 people were killed by a wave triggered by a volcanic eruption. What caused the tsunami?

Another tsunami could strike Indonesia, experts warned on Sunday, a day after more than 200 people were killed by a wave triggered by a volcanic eruption. What caused the tsunami? The tsunami "appears to have been caused by an underwater collapse" of part of the Anak (or "child of") Krakatoa volcano, said David Rothery of The Open University in Britain. Anak Krakatoa is a new island that emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive 1883 eruption killed at least 36,000 people. The volcano has been particularly active since June, noted Jacques-Marie Bardintzeff at the University of Paris-South. The tsunami that struck on Saturday was the third to hit Indonesia in six months. Indonesia has 127 active volcanoes and lies on the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire" where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent. Why was it so deadly? Anak Krakatoa, located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, is close to densely populated zones. And while the tsunami was relatively small, Richard Teeuw of the University of Portsmouth in England said: "Such waves -- laden with debris -- can be deadly for coastal communities, especially if there is no warning." Simon Boxall of Southampton University added that the region was also in spring tide, "and it would appear that the wave hit some of the coastal areas at the highest point of this high tide, exacerbating the damage done." It also struck at night, further catching people by surprise. Why were people not warned? "We were helpless given how sudden" the event took place, Bardintzeff said. "The time between cause and effect was a few dozen minutes, which was too short to warn the population". "Tsunami warning buoys are positioned to warn of tsunamis originated by earthquakes at underwater tectonic plate boundaries," Rothry said. "Even if there had been such a buoy right next to Anak Krakatoa, this is so close to the affected shorelines that warning time would have been minimal given the high speeds at which tsunami waves travel." Could more tsunamis be coming? "The likelihood of further tsunamis in the Sunda Strait will remain high while Anak Krakatoa volcano is going through its current active phase because that might trigger further submarine landslides," Teeuw said. Bardintzeff also warned that "we must be wary now that the volcano has been destabilised". Teeuw said that sonar surveys would now be needed to map the seafloor around the volcano, but "unfortunately submarine surveys typically take many months to organise and carry out," he added. But "devastating tsunami caused by volcanic eruptions are rare; one of the most famous (and deadly) was caused by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883."

Video: Another tsunami could hit Indonesia, warn experts

The death toll from a tsunami that hit the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra after the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted rose to at least 280 on Monday, officials said, as rescuers using heavy machinery and their bare hands searched for more victims.

Hundreds more were injured when the tsunami struck, almost without warning, along the rim of the Sunda Strait late on Saturday. More than 3,000 coastal residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground, with a high-tide warning in place until Tuesday.

The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade. Earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok in July and August, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed more than 2,000 people on Sulawesi island in September.

Search and rescue officials used their bare hands and some heavy machinery to clear the remains of buildings on Monday. Government and non-government aid trickled into Pandeglang, the worst-affected area on Java's west coast.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/factbox-indonesia-regularly-hit-by-quakes-and-tsunamis-185962">Indonesia's</a>&nbsp;disaster agency had put the death toll at 222 on Sunday, with about 850 injured and 28 people missing but raised it to 280 early on Monday. A disaster mitigation agency official in Banten province named Jhony told reporters most victims were Indonesian holidaymakers.

Dudi Dwiriadi, a district military commander, said personnel and volunteers had been briefed to sweep at least 100 km (60 miles) of coastline in search of victims.

The timing of the tsunami over the Christmas holiday season evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on December 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

Roads Blocked

Some roads remained blocked by debris and traffic, with families streaming out of the area for fear of further tsunamis.

President Joko Widodo, who is running for re-election in April, was scheduled to visit the area later on Monday.

Television images showed when the tsunami hit the beach and residential areas in Pandeglang, dragging with it victims, debris, and large chunks of wood and metal.

Many coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs, such as an earthquake, on Saturday night before waves of 2-3 metres (6-10 feet) washed ashore.

Yuni, a resident of Lampung in Sumatra, was watching television at home when she heard the water coming.

"I heard a rumbling sound and I thought it was the wind. After I opened the door, water came in quickly and dragged me out. When I saw outside, the sea was receding. I decided to run and go as the water came again for the second time," she said.

Roman, a resident of the area who operates tours to Anak Krakatau, said by text message the weather had been fine when the waves struck, although residents had become wary of the rumbling volcano.

He said many others had taken refuge in his elevated village of Tahura Carita, which is about 100 metres from the sea. Evacuees were relying on instant noodles, he said.

Heavy equipment was being moved in to help with rescue efforts, as well as water and sanitation equipment. The military said it was deploying troops to distribute aid and blankets, as well as sending in medics.

The western coast of Banten province in Java, Indonesia's most populated island, was also badly hit, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency.

At least 48 people were reported dead in Lampung in southern Sumatra, he said.

With the exact cause of the disaster still unknown, authorities were wary of the risk of a recurrence. Public works minister Basuki Hadimuljono said emergency operations would be carried out continuously but "would stop at the first sign of possible high tides".

'Washed Away'

Television footage showed how the tsunami washed away an outdoor stage where Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing for hundreds of guests at an end-of-year party for state utility company PLN.

At least four band members and support crew were killed, lead singer Riefian "Ifan" Fajarsyah told followers in a tearful Instagram account. The band's drummer was among the missing.

Another 29 PLN employees and relatives were also killed.

Anak Krakatau, roughly halfway between Java and Sumatra, has been spewing ash and lava for months. It erupted again just after 9 p.m. on Saturday and the tsunami struck about 30 minutes later, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

The tsunami was caused by an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau and was exacerbated by abnormally high tides because of the full moon, Nugroho said.

Ben van der Pluijm, an earthquake geologist and professor at the University of Michigan, said the tsunami may have been caused by a partial collapse of Anak Krakatau.

"Instability of the slope of an active volcano can create a rock slide that moves a large volume of water, creating local tsunami waves that can be very powerful. This is like suddenly dropping a bag of sand in a tub filled with water," he said.

The eruption of Krakatau, previously known as Krakatoa, in 1883 killed more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis.

Anak Krakatau, which means child of Krakatau, is the island that emerged from the area once occupied by Krakatau, which was destroyed in 1883. It first appeared in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

The death toll from a tsunami that hit the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra after the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted rose to at least 280 on Monday, officials said, as rescuers using heavy machinery and their bare hands searched for more victims.

The death toll from a tsunami that hit the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra after the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted rose to at least 280 on Monday, officials said, as rescuers using heavy machinery and their bare hands searched for more victims. Hundreds more were injured when the tsunami struck, almost without warning, along the rim of the Sunda Strait late on Saturday. More than 3,000 coastal residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground, with a high-tide warning in place until Tuesday. The vast archipelago, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has suffered its worst annual death toll from disasters in more than a decade. Earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok in July and August, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed more than 2,000 people on Sulawesi island in September. Search and rescue officials used their bare hands and some heavy machinery to clear the remains of buildings on Monday. Government and non-government aid trickled into Pandeglang, the worst-affected area on Java's west coast. Indonesia's disaster agency had put the death toll at 222 on Sunday, with about 850 injured and 28 people missing but raised it to 280 early on Monday. A disaster mitigation agency official in Banten province named Jhony told reporters most victims were Indonesian holidaymakers. Dudi Dwiriadi, a district military commander, said personnel and volunteers had been briefed to sweep at least 100 km (60 miles) of coastline in search of victims. The timing of the tsunami over the Christmas holiday season evoked memories of the Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake on December 26, 2004, which killed 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. Roads Blocked Some roads remained blocked by debris and traffic, with families streaming out of the area for fear of further tsunamis. President Joko Widodo, who is running for re-election in April, was scheduled to visit the area later on Monday. Television images showed when the tsunami hit the beach and residential areas in Pandeglang, dragging with it victims, debris, and large chunks of wood and metal. Many coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs, such as an earthquake, on Saturday night before waves of 2-3 metres (6-10 feet) washed ashore. Yuni, a resident of Lampung in Sumatra, was watching television at home when she heard the water coming. "I heard a rumbling sound and I thought it was the wind. After I opened the door, water came in quickly and dragged me out. When I saw outside, the sea was receding. I decided to run and go as the water came again for the second time," she said. Roman, a resident of the area who operates tours to Anak Krakatau, said by text message the weather had been fine when the waves struck, although residents had become wary of the rumbling volcano. He said many others had taken refuge in his elevated village of Tahura Carita, which is about 100 metres from the sea. Evacuees were relying on instant noodles, he said. Heavy equipment was being moved in to help with rescue efforts, as well as water and sanitation equipment. The military said it was deploying troops to distribute aid and blankets, as well as sending in medics. The western coast of Banten province in Java, Indonesia's most populated island, was also badly hit, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency. At least 48 people were reported dead in Lampung in southern Sumatra, he said. With the exact cause of the disaster still unknown, authorities were wary of the risk of a recurrence. Public works minister Basuki Hadimuljono said emergency operations would be carried out continuously but "would stop at the first sign of possible high tides". 'Washed Away' Television footage showed how the tsunami washed away an outdoor stage where Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing for hundreds of guests at an end-of-year party for state utility company PLN. At least four band members and support crew were killed, lead singer Riefian "Ifan" Fajarsyah told followers in a tearful Instagram account. The band's drummer was among the missing. Another 29 PLN employees and relatives were also killed. Anak Krakatau, roughly halfway between Java and Sumatra, has been spewing ash and lava for months. It erupted again just after 9 p.m. on Saturday and the tsunami struck about 30 minutes later, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). The tsunami was caused by an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau and was exacerbated by abnormally high tides because of the full moon, Nugroho said. Ben van der Pluijm, an earthquake geologist and professor at the University of Michigan, said the tsunami may have been caused by a partial collapse of Anak Krakatau. "Instability of the slope of an active volcano can create a rock slide that moves a large volume of water, creating local tsunami waves that can be very powerful. This is like suddenly dropping a bag of sand in a tub filled with water," he said. The eruption of Krakatau, previously known as Krakatoa, in 1883 killed more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis. Anak Krakatau, which means child of Krakatau, is the island that emerged from the area once occupied by Krakatau, which was destroyed in 1883. It first appeared in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Rescuers dig through rubble looking for survivors after Indonesia tsunami kills 280

A tsunami killed at least 62 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, officials said on Sunday.

Hundreds of homes and other buildings were "heavily damaged" in the tsunami which struck along the rim of the Sunda Strait late on Saturday.&nbsp;

"Sixty-two people have died, 584 are injured, 20 missing," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"This number will continue to rise considering not all places have been checked."

It was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/death-toll-indonesia-quake-tsunami-doubles-832-final-number-could-be-thousands">the latest in a series of tragedies</a> that have struck Indonesia, a vast archipelago, this year. Successive earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed thousands on Sulawesi island. Nearly 200 people died when a Lion Air passenger plane crashed into the Java Sea in October.

Authorities warned residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warning remained in place through till Dec. 25.

"Please do not be around the beaches around the Sunda Strait. Those who have evacuated, please do not return yet," said Rahmat Triyono, an official at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

TV footage showed roads blocked by debris from damaged houses, overturned cars and fallen trees. The water washed away an outdoor stage where a local rock band was performing, killing at least one musician. Others were missing.

On Dec. 26 in 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 killed more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis.

Endan Permana, head of the disaster mitigation agency in Pandeglang, told Metro TV police were providing assistance to victims in Tanjung Lesung in Banten province, a popular tourist getaway not far from the capital, Jakarta, as emergency workers had not arrived.

The western coast of Banten province in Java was the worst-hit area so far, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency.

At least seven people were reported dead in Lampung in southern Sumatra.

Rescue workers and ambulances were finding it difficult to reach affected areas because some roads were blocked by debris, said Ketut Sukerta, head of the disaster agency in South Lampung.

'WASHED AWAY'

Around 250 employees of the state utility company PLN had gathered in Tanjung Lesung for an end-of-year event, company spokesman I Made Suprateka told Reuters. At least seven people were killed and many suffered broken bones, he said.

Dramatic TV footage showed the seconds when waves hit a concert at the event and washed away the stage where local rock band Seventeen was performing.

"The water washed away the stage which was located very close to the sea," the band said in a statement. "The water rose and dragged away everyone at the location. We have lost loved ones, including our bassist and manager...and others are missing."

The disaster mitigation agency said it was still compiling information on the disaster and there was a "possibility that data on the victims and damage will increase".

The tsunami was caused by "an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau" and was exacerbated by abnormally high tide because of the full moon, disaster agency spokesman Nugroho said.

Ben van der Pluijm, an earthquake geologist and a professor in the University of Michigan, said the tsunami may have been caused by a "partial collapse" of Anak Krakatau.

"Instability of the slope of an active volcano can create a rock slide that moves a large volume of water, creating local tsunami waves that can be very powerful. This is like suddenly dropping a bag of sand in a tub filled with water," he said.

Anak Krakatau, an active volcano which is located roughly halfway between Java and Sumatra and has been spewing ash and lava for months, erupted again just after 9 p.m. on Saturday and the tsunami struck at around 9.30 p.m., according to BMKG.

Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from an area once occupied by Krakatau, which was completely destroyed in the 1883 disaster. It first appeared in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs, like receding water or an earthquake, before waves of up to two meters washed ashore, according to media.

Nugroho told Metro TV that tsunamis triggered by volcanic eruptions were "rare" and that the Sunda Strait tsunami had not resulted from an earthquake.

"There was no earthquake, and the Anak Krakatau eruption also wasn't that big," Nugroho told Metro TV, noting there were no "significant" seismic tremors to indicate a tsunami was coming.

The eruption created a column of volcanic ash up to 500 metres high.

A tsunami killed at least 62 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, officials said on Sunday.

A tsunami killed at least 62 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, officials said on Sunday. Hundreds of homes and other buildings were "heavily damaged" in the tsunami which struck along the rim of the Sunda Strait late on Saturday. "Sixty-two people have died, 584 are injured, 20 missing," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. "This number will continue to rise considering not all places have been checked." It was the latest in a series of tragedies that have struck Indonesia, a vast archipelago, this year. Successive earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed thousands on Sulawesi island. Nearly 200 people died when a Lion Air passenger plane crashed into the Java Sea in October. Authorities warned residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warning remained in place through till Dec. 25. "Please do not be around the beaches around the Sunda Strait. Those who have evacuated, please do not return yet," said Rahmat Triyono, an official at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). TV footage showed roads blocked by debris from damaged houses, overturned cars and fallen trees. The water washed away an outdoor stage where a local rock band was performing, killing at least one musician. Others were missing. On Dec. 26 in 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 killed more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis. Endan Permana, head of the disaster mitigation agency in Pandeglang, told Metro TV police were providing assistance to victims in Tanjung Lesung in Banten province, a popular tourist getaway not far from the capital, Jakarta, as emergency workers had not arrived. The western coast of Banten province in Java was the worst-hit area so far, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency. At least seven people were reported dead in Lampung in southern Sumatra. Rescue workers and ambulances were finding it difficult to reach affected areas because some roads were blocked by debris, said Ketut Sukerta, head of the disaster agency in South Lampung. 'WASHED AWAY' Around 250 employees of the state utility company PLN had gathered in Tanjung Lesung for an end-of-year event, company spokesman I Made Suprateka told Reuters. At least seven people were killed and many suffered broken bones, he said. Dramatic TV footage showed the seconds when waves hit a concert at the event and washed away the stage where local rock band Seventeen was performing. "The water washed away the stage which was located very close to the sea," the band said in a statement. "The water rose and dragged away everyone at the location. We have lost loved ones, including our bassist and manager...and others are missing." The disaster mitigation agency said it was still compiling information on the disaster and there was a "possibility that data on the victims and damage will increase". The tsunami was caused by "an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau" and was exacerbated by abnormally high tide because of the full moon, disaster agency spokesman Nugroho said. Ben van der Pluijm, an earthquake geologist and a professor in the University of Michigan, said the tsunami may have been caused by a "partial collapse" of Anak Krakatau. "Instability of the slope of an active volcano can create a rock slide that moves a large volume of water, creating local tsunami waves that can be very powerful. This is like suddenly dropping a bag of sand in a tub filled with water," he said. Anak Krakatau, an active volcano which is located roughly halfway between Java and Sumatra and has been spewing ash and lava for months, erupted again just after 9 p.m. on Saturday and the tsunami struck at around 9.30 p.m., according to BMKG. Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from an area once occupied by Krakatau, which was completely destroyed in the 1883 disaster. It first appeared in 1927 and has been growing ever since. Coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs, like receding water or an earthquake, before waves of up to two meters washed ashore, according to media. Nugroho told Metro TV that tsunamis triggered by volcanic eruptions were "rare" and that the Sunda Strait tsunami had not resulted from an earthquake. "There was no earthquake, and the Anak Krakatau eruption also wasn't that big," Nugroho told Metro TV, noting there were no "significant" seismic tremors to indicate a tsunami was coming. The eruption created a column of volcanic ash up to 500 metres high.

'Volcano' tsunami hits Indonesia, 62 dead, hundreds injured

Indonesia’s disaster agency said 43 people were dead and another 584 injured after a tsunami struck coastal areas around the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java on Saturday night.

“We’re recapping reports of impacts from the tsunami that struck in the Sunda Strait, particularly Serang, Pandeglang and South Lampung,” Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Metro TV on Sunday morning, referring to the tidal wave linked to an earlier eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano.

Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit beaches in South Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9.30 pm local time (1430 GMT) on Saturday, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement.

Authorities say the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.

<img alt="Anak Krakatau volcano" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16810b70-d0b8-4d12-a281-05fa298d3979" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_5.jpg" />

Residents sit inside a mosque after they were evacuated following high waves and the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano at Labuan district in Pandeglang Regency, Banten province, Indonesia. (Image source: Reuters)

Indonesia's geological agency was investigating the cause, Nugroho said, adding the death toll would likely increase.

Anak Krakatoa is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption.

Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called Pacific 'Ring of Fire', where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

The country regularly experiences deadly earthquakes, including most recently in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island where a quake and tsunami killed thousands of people.

Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the archipelago.

Indonesia’s disaster agency said 43 people were dead and another 584 injured after a tsunami struck coastal areas around the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java on Saturday night.

Indonesia’s disaster agency said 43 people were dead and another 584 injured after a tsunami struck coastal areas around the Sunda Strait between the islands of Sumatra and Java on Saturday night. “We’re recapping reports of impacts from the tsunami that struck in the Sunda Strait, particularly Serang, Pandeglang and South Lampung,” Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Metro TV on Sunday morning, referring to the tidal wave linked to an earlier eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit beaches in South Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9.30 pm local time (1430 GMT) on Saturday, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement. Authorities say the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. Residents sit inside a mosque after they were evacuated following high waves and the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano at Labuan district in Pandeglang Regency, Banten province, Indonesia. (Image source: Reuters) Indonesia's geological agency was investigating the cause, Nugroho said, adding the death toll would likely increase. Anak Krakatoa is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption. Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called Pacific 'Ring of Fire', where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The country regularly experiences deadly earthquakes, including most recently in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island where a quake and tsunami killed thousands of people. Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the archipelago.

At least 43 killed, 584 injured after 'volcano tsunami' hits Indonesia

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-tsunami-death-toll-climbs-to-222-over-800-injured-185999">Indonesia tsunami: Death toll climbs to 222, over 800 injured</a>

The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has climbed to 222 with over 800 people injured, news agency AFP reported.

"222 people are dead, 843 people are injured and 28 people are missing," Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-leader-replaces-top-security-chiefs-in-major-shake-up-186004">Afghanistan President Ghani replaces top security chiefs in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-leader-replaces-top-security-chiefs-in-major-shake-up-186004">major</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-leader-replaces-top-security-chiefs-in-major-shake-up-186004"> shake-up</a>

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday replaced two of the country's top security chiefs with staunch anti-Taliban officials, in a major shake-up days after US President Donald Trump's decision to slash troop numbers in the country.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/group-of-11-women-devotees-return-from-sabarimala-amid-intensifying-protests-186015">Group of 11 women devotees return from Sabarimala amid intensifying protests&nbsp;</a>

Special Officer, Law and Order in Pampa on Sunday stated that 11 women devotees, who had come to offer prayers at Sabarimala temple, have returned now, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/8-taliban-militants-killed-in-afghanistan-185979">Eight Taliban terrorists killed in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/8-taliban-militants-killed-in-afghanistan-185979">clash</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/8-taliban-militants-killed-in-afghanistan-185979"> with security forces in Afghanistan</a>

As many as eight Taliban militants were killed in a clash with security forces in Herat province in western Afghanistan, officials said on Sunday.

Ziarat Shah Abed, a top commander in Herat, was quoted by TOLOnews as saying that the skirmish occurred in Shayan village of Obe district in Herat when the Taliban launched an attack at an army check-post.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/court-martial-recommends-army-generals-dismissal-hed-played-crucial-role-in-surgical-strike-185982">Army </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/court-martial-recommends-army-generals-dismissal-hed-played-crucial-role-in-surgical-strike-185982">court martial</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/court-martial-recommends-army-generals-dismissal-hed-played-crucial-role-in-surgical-strike-185982"> recommends Major General's dismissal over alleged sexual harassment</a>

An Army General Court Martial (GCM) on Sunday recommended the dismissal of a Major General from service over a two-year-old sexual harassment case.

News agency ANI quoted sources as saying that the Army General has been charged under section 354A of the IPC and Army Act 45.

Indonesia tsunami: Death toll climbs to 222, over 800 injured The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has climbed to 222 with over 800 people injured, news agency AFP reported.

Indonesia tsunami: Death toll climbs to 222, over 800 injured The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has climbed to 222 with over 800 people injured, news agency AFP reported. "222 people are dead, 843 people are injured and 28 people are missing," Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. Afghanistan President Ghani replaces top security chiefs in major shake-up Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday replaced two of the country's top security chiefs with staunch anti-Taliban officials, in a major shake-up days after US President Donald Trump's decision to slash troop numbers in the country. Group of 11 women devotees return from Sabarimala amid intensifying protests Special Officer, Law and Order in Pampa on Sunday stated that 11 women devotees, who had come to offer prayers at Sabarimala temple, have returned now, news agency ANI reported. Eight Taliban terrorists killed in clash with security forces in Afghanistan As many as eight Taliban militants were killed in a clash with security forces in Herat province in western Afghanistan, officials said on Sunday. Ziarat Shah Abed, a top commander in Herat, was quoted by TOLOnews as saying that the skirmish occurred in Shayan village of Obe district in Herat when the Taliban launched an attack at an army check-post. Army court martial recommends Major General's dismissal over alleged sexual harassment An Army General Court Martial (GCM) on Sunday recommended the dismissal of a Major General from service over a two-year-old sexual harassment case. News agency ANI quoted sources as saying that the Army General has been charged under section 354A of the IPC and Army Act 45.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has climbed to 222 with over 800 people injured, news agency AFP reported.

"222 people are dead, 843 people are injured and 28 people are missing," Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"This number is predicted to increase because not all victims have been successfully evacuated, not all health centres have reported victims and not all locations have got complete data."&nbsp;

As per reports, the eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano is believed to be the cause of Indonesia tsunami which has damaged hundreds of homes and other buildings. The highly active Anak Krakatau, is a new island formed by underwater eruption in 1927.

The tsunami struck along the rim of Indonesia's Sunda Strait following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau. The waves were exacerbated by an abnormally high tide because of the full moon, officials said on Sunday, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait have been directed to stay away from beaches. A high-tide warning has been placed in till December 25.&nbsp;

As per reports, no warning signs were seen or felt by coastal residents before waves of up to two meters washed ashore.

(With inputs from agencies)

The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has climbed to 222 with over 800 people injured, news agency AFP reported. "222 people are dead, 843 people are injured and 28 people are missing," Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has climbed to 222 with over 800 people injured, news agency AFP reported. "222 people are dead, 843 people are injured and 28 people are missing," Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. "This number is predicted to increase because not all victims have been successfully evacuated, not all health centres have reported victims and not all locations have got complete data." As per reports, the eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano is believed to be the cause of Indonesia tsunami which has damaged hundreds of homes and other buildings. The highly active Anak Krakatau, is a new island formed by underwater eruption in 1927. The tsunami struck along the rim of Indonesia's Sunda Strait following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau. The waves were exacerbated by an abnormally high tide because of the full moon, officials said on Sunday, news agency Reuters reported. Residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait have been directed to stay away from beaches. A high-tide warning has been placed in till December 25. As per reports, no warning signs were seen or felt by coastal residents before waves of up to two meters washed ashore. (With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia tsunami: Death toll climbs to 222, over 800 injured

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-tsunami-death-toll-climbs-to-222-over-800-injured-185999">volcano that triggered a deadly tsunami </a>in Indonesia late Saturday emerged from the sea around the legendary Krakatau 90 years ago and has been on a high-level eruption watchlist for the past decade.

Anak Krakatau (the "Child of Krakatau") has been particularly active since June, occasionally sending massive plumes of ash high into the sky and in October a tour boat was nearly hit by lava bombs from the erupting volcano.

Experts say Anak Krakatau emerged around 1928 in the caldera of Krakatau, a volcanic island that violently erupted in 1883.

With subsequent lava flows it grew from a submarine setting to become a small volcanic island, with the cone now standing at an altitude of around 300 metres (1,000 feet) above sea level.

Since its birth, Anak Krakatau has been in a "state of semi-continuous eruptive activity", growing bigger as it experiences eruptions every two to three years, volcanology professor Ray Cas from Monash University in Australia told AFP.

"Most of the eruptions are relatively small on the scale of explosive eruptions ... and there's also eruptions that produce lava flows," he added.

Cas said the latest event appeared to be "a relatively small explosive eruption" but could then have triggered or coincided with a submarine event like a landslide or earthquake, causing the deadly tsunami.

No one lives on the island, but the peak is popular with tourists and is a major study area for volcanologists.

The island is part of the Ujung Kulon National Park, "demonstrating on-going evolution of geological processes", since the Krakatau eruption, UNESCO says on its World Heritage site listing for the area.

When Krakatau erupted on August 27, 1883 it shot a column of ash more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) into the air in a series of powerful explosions that were heard in Australia and up to 4,500 kilometres away near Mauritius.

The massive cloud of ash plunged the area into darkness for two days. The dust gave rise to spectacular sunsets and sunrises around the world the following year and disrupted weather patterns for years.

The tsunami triggered by the eruption killed more than 36,000 people in one of the world's worst natural disasters.

Indonesia's proximity to the junction of three continental plates, which jostle under immense pressure, makes it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and eruptions.

The archipelago nation has nearly 130 active volcanoes, forming part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" -- an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from quake-prone Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

The volcano that triggered a deadly tsunami in Indonesia late Saturday emerged from the sea around the legendary Krakatau 90 years ago and has been on a high-level eruption watchlist for the past decade.

The volcano that triggered a deadly tsunami in Indonesia late Saturday emerged from the sea around the legendary Krakatau 90 years ago and has been on a high-level eruption watchlist for the past decade. Anak Krakatau (the "Child of Krakatau") has been particularly active since June, occasionally sending massive plumes of ash high into the sky and in October a tour boat was nearly hit by lava bombs from the erupting volcano. Experts say Anak Krakatau emerged around 1928 in the caldera of Krakatau, a volcanic island that violently erupted in 1883. With subsequent lava flows it grew from a submarine setting to become a small volcanic island, with the cone now standing at an altitude of around 300 metres (1,000 feet) above sea level. Since its birth, Anak Krakatau has been in a "state of semi-continuous eruptive activity", growing bigger as it experiences eruptions every two to three years, volcanology professor Ray Cas from Monash University in Australia told AFP. "Most of the eruptions are relatively small on the scale of explosive eruptions ... and there's also eruptions that produce lava flows," he added. Cas said the latest event appeared to be "a relatively small explosive eruption" but could then have triggered or coincided with a submarine event like a landslide or earthquake, causing the deadly tsunami. No one lives on the island, but the peak is popular with tourists and is a major study area for volcanologists. The island is part of the Ujung Kulon National Park, "demonstrating on-going evolution of geological processes", since the Krakatau eruption, UNESCO says on its World Heritage site listing for the area. When Krakatau erupted on August 27, 1883 it shot a column of ash more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) into the air in a series of powerful explosions that were heard in Australia and up to 4,500 kilometres away near Mauritius. The massive cloud of ash plunged the area into darkness for two days. The dust gave rise to spectacular sunsets and sunrises around the world the following year and disrupted weather patterns for years. The tsunami triggered by the eruption killed more than 36,000 people in one of the world's worst natural disasters. Indonesia's proximity to the junction of three continental plates, which jostle under immense pressure, makes it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and eruptions. The archipelago nation has nearly 130 active volcanoes, forming part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" -- an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from quake-prone Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Indonesia's angry 'Child of Krakatau' was on high-level eruption watchlist for past decade

A tsunami killed at least 62 people on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra and injured hundreds following an underwater landslide caused by a volcanic eruption on Saturday, the disaster mitigation agency said.

Indonesia sits on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and is regularly hit by earthquakes. Here are some of the major quakes and tsunamis in recent years:

2004: A massive 9.1 magnitude quake on the western coast of Indonesia's Aceh province in northern Sumatra on December 26 triggered a tsunami that struck 14 countries, killing 226,000 people along the Indian Ocean coastline, more than half of them in Aceh.

2005: A series of strong quakes hit the western coast of Sumatra in late March and early April. Hundreds died in Nias Island, off the coast of Sumatra.

2006: A 6.8 magnitude quake hit south of Java, Indonesia's most populated island, triggering a tsunami that smashed into the southern coast, killing nearly 700 people.

2009: A 7.6 magnitude quake struck near the city of Padang, capital of West Sumatra province. More than 1,100 people were killed.

2010: A 7.5 magnitude quake hit one of the Mentawai islands, off Sumatra, triggering a tsunami of up to 10 metres that destroyed dozens of villages and killed around 300 people.

2016: A shallow quake hit the Pidie Jaya regency in Aceh, causing destruction and panic as people were reminded by the devastation of the deadly 2004 quake and tsunami. No tsunami was triggered, but more than 100 were killed by fallen buildings.

2018: Major quakes hit Indonesia's tourist island of Lombok, killing more than 500 people, mostly on the northern side of the island.

2018: More than 2,000 people were killed by a powerful earthquake and tsunami that hit the city of Palu, on the west coast of Sulawesi island.

A tsunami killed at least 62 people on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra and injured hundreds following an underwater landslide caused by a volcanic eruption on Saturday, the disaster mitigation agency said.

A tsunami killed at least 62 people on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra and injured hundreds following an underwater landslide caused by a volcanic eruption on Saturday, the disaster mitigation agency said. Indonesia sits on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and is regularly hit by earthquakes. Here are some of the major quakes and tsunamis in recent years: 2004: A massive 9.1 magnitude quake on the western coast of Indonesia's Aceh province in northern Sumatra on December 26 triggered a tsunami that struck 14 countries, killing 226,000 people along the Indian Ocean coastline, more than half of them in Aceh. 2005: A series of strong quakes hit the western coast of Sumatra in late March and early April. Hundreds died in Nias Island, off the coast of Sumatra. 2006: A 6.8 magnitude quake hit south of Java, Indonesia's most populated island, triggering a tsunami that smashed into the southern coast, killing nearly 700 people. 2009: A 7.6 magnitude quake struck near the city of Padang, capital of West Sumatra province. More than 1,100 people were killed. 2010: A 7.5 magnitude quake hit one of the Mentawai islands, off Sumatra, triggering a tsunami of up to 10 metres that destroyed dozens of villages and killed around 300 people. 2016: A shallow quake hit the Pidie Jaya regency in Aceh, causing destruction and panic as people were reminded by the devastation of the deadly 2004 quake and tsunami. No tsunami was triggered, but more than 100 were killed by fallen buildings. 2018: Major quakes hit Indonesia's tourist island of Lombok, killing more than 500 people, mostly on the northern side of the island. 2018: More than 2,000 people were killed by a powerful earthquake and tsunami that hit the city of Palu, on the west coast of Sulawesi island.

Indonesia: Major tsunamis, earthquakes in recent years

Dramatic video posted online showed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-from-indonesias-volcano-tsunami-rises-to-168-185964">the tsunami that struck Indonesia</a> smashing into an open-air concert, hurling members of a pop band from the stage and slamming into the audience.

Riefian Fajarsyah, lead vocalist of the band "Seventeen" later posted an emotional video to his 260,000 Instagram followers in which he said the group's bassist and road manager were killed.

The band were playing Saturday night to a large crowd in a marquee at the Tanjung Lesung Beach Resort on the western tip of Java when the wall of water hit.

On the video, fans can be seen clapping and cheering before a wave rips under the stage, sending the band members and their equipment crashing into the men and women dancing at the front.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Just seeing this 😭 Indonesia Had a 'Volcano Tsunami' After Krakatoa Erupted Today 
Video shows tsunami crashing into venue, w/o warning while band Seventeen was in concert. 
There were multiple fatalities 😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayForIndonesia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrayForIndonesia</a> 🙏🏻<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayForSeventeenBand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrayForSeventeenBand</a> 🙏🏻<a href="https://t.co/m9186m2j4G">pic.twitter.com/m9186m2j4G</a>
— BootlegLady 💜 (@BootlegLady) <a href="https://twitter.com/BootlegLady/status/1076730003801264128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The shocking video then suddenly stops.

Fighting back tears and wiping his eyes, Fajarsyah said two more band members, a crew member and his wife were still missing.

"We lost our bassist Bani and our road manager Oki," he said in the video, in which he is wearing a green shirt with the band's Seventeen logo stitched into the chest.

"Andi (drummer) and Herman (guitar) and Ujang (crew) have not been found. Please pray so that my wife Dylan (Dylan Sahara) will be found soon.&nbsp;

"The rest are thankfully safe although suffering from injuries and broken bones. Please pray so my wife Dylan, Andi and Herman and Ujang can be found soon."

Seventeen posted earlier this week on their Instagram page that they would be playing at the Tanjung Lesung Beach Resort from December 21 to 23.

Dramatic video posted online showed the tsunami that struck Indonesia smashing into an open-air concert, hurling members of a pop band from the stage and slamming into the audience.

Dramatic video posted online showed the tsunami that struck Indonesia smashing into an open-air concert, hurling members of a pop band from the stage and slamming into the audience. Riefian Fajarsyah, lead vocalist of the band "Seventeen" later posted an emotional video to his 260,000 Instagram followers in which he said the group's bassist and road manager were killed. The band were playing Saturday night to a large crowd in a marquee at the Tanjung Lesung Beach Resort on the western tip of Java when the wall of water hit. On the video, fans can be seen clapping and cheering before a wave rips under the stage, sending the band members and their equipment crashing into the men and women dancing at the front. Just seeing this 😭 Indonesia Had a 'Volcano Tsunami' After Krakatoa Erupted Today Video shows tsunami crashing into venue, w/o warning while band Seventeen was in concert. There were multiple fatalities 😭#PrayForIndonesia 🙏🏻#PrayForSeventeenBand 🙏🏻pic.twitter.com/m9186m2j4G — BootlegLady 💜 (@BootlegLady) December 23, 2018 × The shocking video then suddenly stops. Fighting back tears and wiping his eyes, Fajarsyah said two more band members, a crew member and his wife were still missing. "We lost our bassist Bani and our road manager Oki," he said in the video, in which he is wearing a green shirt with the band's Seventeen logo stitched into the chest. "Andi (drummer) and Herman (guitar) and Ujang (crew) have not been found. Please pray so that my wife Dylan (Dylan Sahara) will be found soon. "The rest are thankfully safe although suffering from injuries and broken bones. Please pray so my wife Dylan, Andi and Herman and Ujang can be found soon." Seventeen posted earlier this week on their Instagram page that they would be playing at the Tanjung Lesung Beach Resort from December 21 to 23.

Shocking video shows tsunami rip through stage as band performs

More than 100 prisoners escaped from jail in Indonesia's&nbsp;Aceh&nbsp;province on Thursday, following a riot caused by stronger regulations imposed by the prison board.

About 113 inmates broke out after protesting the prison board. Authorities said they made a ruckus and damaged the prison with barbells from the gym facilities after they threw water at the guards.

Director General of Corrections at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Sri Puguh Budi Utami, urged the escaped prisoners to surrender as they had formed a task force to pursue them. Authorities had recaptured 26 inmates.

The prison has a capacity for 800 people and currently houses 726 inmates, mostly involved in drug cases.

More than 100 prisoners escaped from jail in Indonesia's Aceh province on Thursday, following a riot caused by stronger regulations imposed by the prison board. About 113 inmates broke out after protesting the prison board.

More than 100 prisoners escaped from jail in Indonesia's Aceh province on Thursday, following a riot caused by stronger regulations imposed by the prison board. About 113 inmates broke out after protesting the prison board. Authorities said they made a ruckus and damaged the prison with barbells from the gym facilities after they threw water at the guards. Director General of Corrections at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Sri Puguh Budi Utami, urged the escaped prisoners to surrender as they had formed a task force to pursue them. Authorities had recaptured 26 inmates. The prison has a capacity for 800 people and currently houses 726 inmates, mostly involved in drug cases.

Over 100 prisoners break out of jail in Aceh after riot

Indonesia jailbreak leaves 87 prisoners on the run

A Lion Air jet that crashed last month should have been grounded over a recurrent technical problem and never permitted to make the fatal flight, Indonesian authorities said Wednesday in a report that took aim at the carrier's poor safety culture.

The Boeing 737 MAX vanished from radar about 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta on October 29, slamming into the Java Sea moments after it had asked to return to the capital.

The preliminary crash report from Indonesia's transport safety agency did not pinpoint a definitive cause of the accident, which killed all 189 people on board, including an Indian pilot, with a final report not likely to be filed until next year.

But investigators said that Lion Air kept putting the plane back into service despite repeatedly failing to fix a problem with the airspeed indicator in the days leading up to the fatal flight.

Its second last flight was from Denpasar in Bali to Jakarta. "During (that) flight, the plane was experiencing a technical problem but the pilot decided to continue," Nurcahyo Utomo, aviation head at the National Transport Safety Committee, told reporters.

"The plane was no longer airworthy and it should not have kept" flying, he added.

The findings will heighten concerns there were problems with key systems in one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial passenger planes.

Investigators have previously said the doomed aircraft had problems with its airspeed indicator and angle of attack (AOA) sensors, prompting Boeing to issue a special bulletin telling operators what to do when they face the same situation.

The report confirmed that initial finding, saying the plane's data recorder detected an issue with the AoA.

It also said the plane's "stick shaker" -- the steering-wheel like handles in front of the pilots that vibrates to warn of a system malfunction -- was "activated and continued for most of the fight."

An AOA sensor provides data about the angle at which air is passing over the wings and tells pilots how much lift a plane is getting. The information can be critical in preventing an aircraft from stalling.

The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has retrieved one of the plane's black boxes -- the flight data recorder -- but is yet to locate the cockpit voice recorder.

Black box data showed the plane also had an airspeed indicator issue on multiple earlier flights, investigators said.

Lion must take steps "to improve the safety culture" and ensure "all the operation documents are properly filled and documented", the transport agency said.

Despite a dubious safety record and an avalanche of complaints over shoddy service, the budget carrier's parent Lion Air Group, which also operates Batik Air and Wings Air, has captured half the domestic market in less than 20 years of operation to become Southeast Asia's biggest airline.

Indonesia's aviation safety record has improved since its airlines, including national carrier Garuda, were subject to years-long bans from US and European airspace for safety violations, although the country has still recorded 40 fatal accidents over the past 15 years.

The report stopped short of making any recommendations to Boeing but the US planemaker has come under fire for possible glitches on the 737 MAX -- which entered service just last year.

The APA, a US airline pilots union, said that carriers and pilots had not been informed by Boeing of certain changes in the aircraft control system installed on the new MAX variants of the 737.

"I am really surprised if Boeing has not shared all the flight performance parameters with pilots, unions, and training organisations," University of Leeds aviation expert Stephen Wright told AFP before the report was released, adding that "a deliberate omission would have serious legal ramifications" Several relatives of the crash victims have already filed lawsuits against Boeing, including the family of a young doctor who was to have married his high school sweetheart this month.

Lion Air Flight JT610 plunged into the sea less than half an hour after taking off on a routine flight to Pangkal Pinang city.

Authorities have called off the grim task of identifying victims of the crash, with 125 passengers officially recognised after testing on human remains that filled some 200 body bags.

A Lion Air jet that crashed last month should have been grounded over a recurrent technical problem and never permitted to make the fatal flight, Indonesian authorities said Wednesday in a report that took aim at the carrier's poor safety culture.

A Lion Air jet that crashed last month should have been grounded over a recurrent technical problem and never permitted to make the fatal flight, Indonesian authorities said Wednesday in a report that took aim at the carrier's poor safety culture. The Boeing 737 MAX vanished from radar about 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta on October 29, slamming into the Java Sea moments after it had asked to return to the capital. The preliminary crash report from Indonesia's transport safety agency did not pinpoint a definitive cause of the accident, which killed all 189 people on board, including an Indian pilot, with a final report not likely to be filed until next year. But investigators said that Lion Air kept putting the plane back into service despite repeatedly failing to fix a problem with the airspeed indicator in the days leading up to the fatal flight. Its second last flight was from Denpasar in Bali to Jakarta. "During (that) flight, the plane was experiencing a technical problem but the pilot decided to continue," Nurcahyo Utomo, aviation head at the National Transport Safety Committee, told reporters. "The plane was no longer airworthy and it should not have kept" flying, he added. The findings will heighten concerns there were problems with key systems in one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial passenger planes. Investigators have previously said the doomed aircraft had problems with its airspeed indicator and angle of attack (AOA) sensors, prompting Boeing to issue a special bulletin telling operators what to do when they face the same situation. The report confirmed that initial finding, saying the plane's data recorder detected an issue with the AoA. It also said the plane's "stick shaker" -- the steering-wheel like handles in front of the pilots that vibrates to warn of a system malfunction -- was "activated and continued for most of the fight." An AOA sensor provides data about the angle at which air is passing over the wings and tells pilots how much lift a plane is getting. The information can be critical in preventing an aircraft from stalling. The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has retrieved one of the plane's black boxes -- the flight data recorder -- but is yet to locate the cockpit voice recorder. Black box data showed the plane also had an airspeed indicator issue on multiple earlier flights, investigators said. Lion must take steps "to improve the safety culture" and ensure "all the operation documents are properly filled and documented", the transport agency said. Despite a dubious safety record and an avalanche of complaints over shoddy service, the budget carrier's parent Lion Air Group, which also operates Batik Air and Wings Air, has captured half the domestic market in less than 20 years of operation to become Southeast Asia's biggest airline. Indonesia's aviation safety record has improved since its airlines, including national carrier Garuda, were subject to years-long bans from US and European airspace for safety violations, although the country has still recorded 40 fatal accidents over the past 15 years. The report stopped short of making any recommendations to Boeing but the US planemaker has come under fire for possible glitches on the 737 MAX -- which entered service just last year. The APA, a US airline pilots union, said that carriers and pilots had not been informed by Boeing of certain changes in the aircraft control system installed on the new MAX variants of the 737. "I am really surprised if Boeing has not shared all the flight performance parameters with pilots, unions, and training organisations," University of Leeds aviation expert Stephen Wright told AFP before the report was released, adding that "a deliberate omission would have serious legal ramifications" Several relatives of the crash victims have already filed lawsuits against Boeing, including the family of a young doctor who was to have married his high school sweetheart this month. Lion Air Flight JT610 plunged into the sea less than half an hour after taking off on a routine flight to Pangkal Pinang city. Authorities have called off the grim task of identifying victims of the crash, with 125 passengers officially recognised after testing on human remains that filled some 200 body bags.

Lion Air jet should have been grounded before fatal flight, Indonesia says

An Indonesia man, whose son was killed when a Lion Air flight crashed last month, has sued Boeing Co alleging that a defect in the design of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft caused it to crash.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the father of Dr Rio Nanda Pratama, alleged that Boeing did not adequately warn Lion Air or its pilots of an unsafe design condition. Boeing is headquartered in Illinois.

Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea shortly after take-off from Jakarta on October 29, killing all 189 people on board.

Dr Pratama, of Indonesia, was flying home from a conference when the plane crashed. He was to be married this week, according to attorney Curtis Miner of the Florida-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson, which is representing his father in the wrongful death lawsuit.

Indonesian investigators are due to publish a preliminary report on the crash later this month.

An Indonesia man, whose son was killed when a Lion Air flight crashed last month, has sued Boeing Co alleging that a defect in the design of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft caused it to crash.

An Indonesia man, whose son was killed when a Lion Air flight crashed last month, has sued Boeing Co alleging that a defect in the design of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft caused it to crash. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the father of Dr Rio Nanda Pratama, alleged that Boeing did not adequately warn Lion Air or its pilots of an unsafe design condition. Boeing is headquartered in Illinois. Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea shortly after take-off from Jakarta on October 29, killing all 189 people on board. Dr Pratama, of Indonesia, was flying home from a conference when the plane crashed. He was to be married this week, according to attorney Curtis Miner of the Florida-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson, which is representing his father in the wrongful death lawsuit. Indonesian investigators are due to publish a preliminary report on the crash later this month.

Lion Air crash victim's father files US lawsuit against Boeing

Indonesia will issue a preliminary report on Nov. 28 or 29 on its investigation into the crash of a Lion Air plane that killed 189 people on board, Soerjanto Tjahjono, head of the transportation safety committee (KNKT), said on Monday.

"One month after the accident, KNKT will issue a preliminary report and we will publish it over the internet," he told a news conference in Jakarta.

KNKT was still looking for the cockpit voice recorder from the Boeing 737 MAX, he said.

The agency has already downloaded information from the flight data recorder which was found a few days after the October&nbsp;29 crash.

Indonesia authorities said on Saturday they had stopped the search for victims of a plane crash that killed all 189 people on board, but would keep looking for the Lion&nbsp;Air&nbsp;flight's second black box, the cockpit voice recorder.

"There is nowhere left to search and we have stopped finding victims' bodies," Muhammad Syaugi, the head of the national search and rescue agency (Basarnas) told media. "We will limit our operations to monitoring."

The nearly new Boeing Co. 737 MAX passenger plane crashed into the sea on October 29 just minutes after taking off from Jakarta en route to Bangka island near Sumatra.

Syaugi said 196 body bags containing human remains had been retrieved and 77 victims identified after forensic examination.

Indonesia will issue a preliminary report on Nov. 28 or 29 on its investigation into the crash of a Lion Air plane that killed 189 people on board, Soerjanto Tjahjono, head of the transportation safety committee (KNKT), said on Monday.

Indonesia will issue a preliminary report on Nov. 28 or 29 on its investigation into the crash of a Lion Air plane that killed 189 people on board, Soerjanto Tjahjono, head of the transportation safety committee (KNKT), said on Monday. "One month after the accident, KNKT will issue a preliminary report and we will publish it over the internet," he told a news conference in Jakarta. KNKT was still looking for the cockpit voice recorder from the Boeing 737 MAX, he said. The agency has already downloaded information from the flight data recorder which was found a few days after the October 29 crash. Indonesia authorities said on Saturday they had stopped the search for victims of a plane crash that killed all 189 people on board, but would keep looking for the Lion Air flight's second black box, the cockpit voice recorder. "There is nowhere left to search and we have stopped finding victims' bodies," Muhammad Syaugi, the head of the national search and rescue agency (Basarnas) told media. "We will limit our operations to monitoring." The nearly new Boeing Co. 737 MAX passenger plane crashed into the sea on October 29 just minutes after taking off from Jakarta en route to Bangka island near Sumatra. Syaugi said 196 body bags containing human remains had been retrieved and 77 victims identified after forensic examination.

Indonesia to issue preliminary Lion Air crash report in late November

Indonesia on Saturday called off the search for passengers of a Lion Air plane, almost two weeks after the jetliner plunged into the Java Sea killing 189 people on board.

Some 196 bags containing body parts have been recovered from under the water with 79 victims identified and handed over to their families for burial.

"Since yesterday afternoon until today we have not found any more victims and therefore I declare the search and rescue operation is over," Muhammad Syaugi, head of the search and rescue agency, told reporters Saturday.

"We apologise to the public, especially the families of victims if during the operation we were not able to satisfy everybody," he added.

Rescuers have also retrieved parts of the plane's engines, wheels and seats from the sea. One diver died helping with search.

Lion Air has begun paying $102,058 compensation money for each passenger to the grieving families.

Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has retrieved one of the black boxes -- the flight data recorder -- and is still hunting for the cockpit voice recorder, which recorded the last conversation between the pilot and co-pilot before the crash.

The doomed jet was a Boeing 737-Max 8, one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial passenger planes, and there is still no answer as to what caused the crash.

The government has ordered a check on all Boeing 737-Max 8 fleets and conducted a special audit on Lion Air management.

The transportation ministry has also removed several executives and technical staff from the airline to help with the accident investigation.

The Lion Air plane plunged into the Java Sea on October 29 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city.&nbsp;

All 189 people on board were killed and the data from the flight recorder data has so far revealed the plane's airspeed indicator had not been working properly on its last four journeys, including on the fatal flight.

Following the fatal crash, Boeing issued a special bulletin on how to deal with the erroneous Angle of Attack sensor alert in 737-8 and -9 airplanes. 
&nbsp;

Indonesia on Saturday called off the search for passengers of a Lion Air plane, almost two weeks after the jetliner plunged into the Java Sea killing 189 people on board.

Indonesia on Saturday called off the search for passengers of a Lion Air plane, almost two weeks after the jetliner plunged into the Java Sea killing 189 people on board. Some 196 bags containing body parts have been recovered from under the water with 79 victims identified and handed over to their families for burial. "Since yesterday afternoon until today we have not found any more victims and therefore I declare the search and rescue operation is over," Muhammad Syaugi, head of the search and rescue agency, told reporters Saturday. "We apologise to the public, especially the families of victims if during the operation we were not able to satisfy everybody," he added. Rescuers have also retrieved parts of the plane's engines, wheels and seats from the sea. One diver died helping with search. Lion Air has begun paying $102,058 compensation money for each passenger to the grieving families. Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has retrieved one of the black boxes -- the flight data recorder -- and is still hunting for the cockpit voice recorder, which recorded the last conversation between the pilot and co-pilot before the crash. The doomed jet was a Boeing 737-Max 8, one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial passenger planes, and there is still no answer as to what caused the crash. The government has ordered a check on all Boeing 737-Max 8 fleets and conducted a special audit on Lion Air management. The transportation ministry has also removed several executives and technical staff from the airline to help with the accident investigation. The Lion Air plane plunged into the Java Sea on October 29 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city. All 189 people on board were killed and the data from the flight recorder data has so far revealed the plane's airspeed indicator had not been working properly on its last four journeys, including on the fatal flight. Following the fatal crash, Boeing issued a special bulletin on how to deal with the erroneous Angle of Attack sensor alert in 737-8 and -9 airplanes.

Indonesia calls off the search for Lion Air crash victims

A Lion Air passenger jet has been involved in another accident -- just a week after a plane from the Indonesian airline crashed with the loss of all 189 people on board.

In the latest incident, the jet clipped a pole as it taxied to the runway at Bengkulu airport on Sumatra island ahead of its flight to Jakarta.

The plane's left wing was visibly damaged, forcing all passengers to disembark. They were flown to the capital later Wednesday evening aboard a different aircraft. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Lion Air spokesman Danang Prihantoro said all 143 passengers and seven crew were safe. &nbsp;

"Lion Air apologises to all passengers for any inconvenience... it has sent a team to inspect the aircraft," the spokesman said.

The transport ministry said it would launch an immediate investigation.&nbsp;

"The plane and the pilot have been grounded for investigation," said Pramintohadi Sukarno, a senior ministry official.&nbsp;

The accident happened just 10 days after a Lion Air Boeing 737-Max 8 plane plunged into the Java Sea minutes after takeoff from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city.&nbsp;

All 189 people on board were killed and the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has said that flight recorder data has so far revealed the plane's airspeed indicator had not been working properly on its last four journeys, including on the fatal flight.

But the preliminary result of the investigation will only be known at the end of November.

A Lion Air passenger jet has been involved in another accident -- just a week after a plane from the Indonesian airline crashed with the loss of all 189 people on board.

A Lion Air passenger jet has been involved in another accident -- just a week after a plane from the Indonesian airline crashed with the loss of all 189 people on board. In the latest incident, the jet clipped a pole as it taxied to the runway at Bengkulu airport on Sumatra island ahead of its flight to Jakarta. The plane's left wing was visibly damaged, forcing all passengers to disembark. They were flown to the capital later Wednesday evening aboard a different aircraft. Lion Air spokesman Danang Prihantoro said all 143 passengers and seven crew were safe. "Lion Air apologises to all passengers for any inconvenience... it has sent a team to inspect the aircraft," the spokesman said. The transport ministry said it would launch an immediate investigation. "The plane and the pilot have been grounded for investigation," said Pramintohadi Sukarno, a senior ministry official. The accident happened just 10 days after a Lion Air Boeing 737-Max 8 plane plunged into the Java Sea minutes after takeoff from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city. All 189 people on board were killed and the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has said that flight recorder data has so far revealed the plane's airspeed indicator had not been working properly on its last four journeys, including on the fatal flight. But the preliminary result of the investigation will only be known at the end of November.

Lion Air jet in another accident, a week after deadly crash

The Indonesian government will push ahead and ratify a trade deal with Pakistan to protect $1.5 billion in annual palm oil exports to the South Asia nation, a cabinet minister said.

Indonesia is the world`s biggest palm oil producer and although it is the dominant exporter to Pakistan, it has been losing market share to the world`s number two producer, Malaysia, according to Abdul Rasheed JanMohammed, chairman of Pakistan Edible Oil Refiners Association.

Indonesia`s Coordinating Minister of Economics Affairs Darmin Nasution said in a statement late on Wednesday that the preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Pakistan will be ratified by the president, without parliamentary approval.

If Indonesia does not ratify the deal soon, "Pakistan will terminate the PTA, making Indonesia lose its crude palm oil market worth $1.46 billion", the statement said. Malaysia could then grab that market share, it said.

Pakistan is expected to buy 70 per cent of its crude palm oil from Indonesia this year, down from 80 per cent in the past two years, JanMohammed said at an industry conference in Indonesia last week. Malaysia has picked up market share in Pakistan, he said.

In 2017, Indonesia booked a $2.15 billion overall trade surplus with Pakistan, with total two-way trade of $2.63 billion.

Indonesia is also set to ratify six other deals that have been stalled in parliament for several years without explanation, the statement said.&nbsp;

Indonesia will sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Australia before the end of this year, after leaders of both countries concluded talks on ways to boost trade and investment in areas ranging from cars to cattle.

The Indonesian government will push ahead and ratify a trade deal with Pakistan to protect $1.5 billion in annual palm oil exports to the South Asia nation, a cabinet minister said.

The Indonesian government will push ahead and ratify a trade deal with Pakistan to protect $1.5 billion in annual palm oil exports to the South Asia nation, a cabinet minister said. Indonesia is the world`s biggest palm oil producer and although it is the dominant exporter to Pakistan, it has been losing market share to the world`s number two producer, Malaysia, according to Abdul Rasheed JanMohammed, chairman of Pakistan Edible Oil Refiners Association. Indonesia`s Coordinating Minister of Economics Affairs Darmin Nasution said in a statement late on Wednesday that the preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Pakistan will be ratified by the president, without parliamentary approval. If Indonesia does not ratify the deal soon, "Pakistan will terminate the PTA, making Indonesia lose its crude palm oil market worth $1.46 billion", the statement said. Malaysia could then grab that market share, it said. Pakistan is expected to buy 70 per cent of its crude palm oil from Indonesia this year, down from 80 per cent in the past two years, JanMohammed said at an industry conference in Indonesia last week. Malaysia has picked up market share in Pakistan, he said. In 2017, Indonesia booked a $2.15 billion overall trade surplus with Pakistan, with total two-way trade of $2.63 billion. Indonesia is also set to ratify six other deals that have been stalled in parliament for several years without explanation, the statement said. Indonesia will sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Australia before the end of this year, after leaders of both countries concluded talks on ways to boost trade and investment in areas ranging from cars to cattle.

Indonesia to ratify Pakistan trade deal to protect palm oil exports

Families, friends and relatives of the passengers and crew who were aboard the doomed Lion Air flight are desperate for the latest probe results, after one of the black boxes was retrieved on Thursday.

Chief investigator of the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) Marjono Siswosuwarno announced that the flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered, while efforts are underway to find the other black box, the cockpit voice recorder (CDR).

One of the bereaved family members waiting for information is Irdiyanti, who had four family members aboard the plane: her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. Irdiyanti said she did not get the chance to say goodbye to her family. Now all she wants is for the search and rescue team to retrieve the bodies of her loved ones, so she can give them a proper burial.

"Before this incident, my grandchildren stayed with me for two weeks. The last time I spoke to my daughter was two days before the flight crashed," said Irdiyanti.

Sadly, what began as a rescue effort is now a recovery effort. As of Thursday, 65 bodies of the victims have been found, according to Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). So far there have been no survivors, only body parts found along with pieces of the plane's wreckage, twisted metal parts, torn clothing, shoes, and wallets.

Indonesian police collected DNA from family members to identify the victims. The search and rescue agency will continue to look for the remaining bodies of the victims. Families and friends like Irdiyanti still have days to wait before their loved ones are returned.

The Boeing 737 Max 8 jet en route to the city of Pangkal Pinang with 189 people on board was reported missing Monday morning and was believed to have crashed 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta international airport. It is believed that all 189 people on board the plane have been killed.

Families, friends and relatives of the passengers and crew who were aboard the doomed Lion Air flight are desperate for the latest probe results, after one of the black boxes was retrieved on Thursday.

Families, friends and relatives of the passengers and crew who were aboard the doomed Lion Air flight are desperate for the latest probe results, after one of the black boxes was retrieved on Thursday. Chief investigator of the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) Marjono Siswosuwarno announced that the flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered, while efforts are underway to find the other black box, the cockpit voice recorder (CDR). One of the bereaved family members waiting for information is Irdiyanti, who had four family members aboard the plane: her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. Irdiyanti said she did not get the chance to say goodbye to her family. Now all she wants is for the search and rescue team to retrieve the bodies of her loved ones, so she can give them a proper burial. "Before this incident, my grandchildren stayed with me for two weeks. The last time I spoke to my daughter was two days before the flight crashed," said Irdiyanti. Sadly, what began as a rescue effort is now a recovery effort. As of Thursday, 65 bodies of the victims have been found, according to Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). So far there have been no survivors, only body parts found along with pieces of the plane's wreckage, twisted metal parts, torn clothing, shoes, and wallets. Indonesian police collected DNA from family members to identify the victims. The search and rescue agency will continue to look for the remaining bodies of the victims. Families and friends like Irdiyanti still have days to wait before their loved ones are returned. The Boeing 737 Max 8 jet en route to the city of Pangkal Pinang with 189 people on board was reported missing Monday morning and was believed to have crashed 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta international airport. It is believed that all 189 people on board the plane have been killed.

Indonesia plane crash: Victims' families desperately awaiting probe results after black box retrieved

Crashed Lion Air Plane Located

Indonesian search <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-orders-removal-of-lion-air-technical-director-after-crash-state-media-174620">and rescue workers believe</a> they have found the fuselage of a Lion Air passenger jet that crashed with 189 people on board, and are also trying to confirm the origin of an underwater "ping" signal, officials said on Wednesday.

Ground staff lost touch with flight JT610 of Indonesian budget airline Lion Air 13 minutes after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 took off early on Monday from Jakarta, on its way to the tin-mining town of Pangkal Pinang.

There were no survivors.

Indonesia's military chief said he believed the plane had been located, and a transport safety official said divers would be sent to confirm the origin of a "ping" signal picked up by a search and rescue team late on Tuesday.

"We strongly believe that we have found a part of the fuselage," armed forces chief Hadi Tjahjanto told broadcaster TV One.

Speaking on board the navy ship KRI Rigel, navy official Colonel Haris Djoko Nugroho told broadcaster TVOne that a 22-metre long object had been found in waters about 32 metres deep, and a sonar was being used to identify it.

Divers would also be sent to check, he said.

The Rigel has been searching in an area about 5 nautical miles from the site where the aircraft lost contact.

The accident is the first to be reported involving the widely sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's single-aisle jet.

The plane's blackboxes, as the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder are known, should help explain why the almost-new jet went down minutes after take-off.

Amid media speculation over the airworthiness of the aircraft, the transport minister suspended Lion Air's technical director and several technicians to facilitate the crash investigation.

The suspended technicians "issued the recommendations for that flight", the ministry said in a press release. It did not say how many technicians had been suspended.

An official of the national transport safety panel has said the plane had technical problems on its previous flight on Sunday, from the city of Denpasar on the resort island of Bali, including an issue over "unreliable airspeed".

Privately owned Lion Air, founded in 1999, said the aircraft had been in operation since August and was airworthy. The pilot and co-pilot had 11,000 hours of flying time between them, it said.

Lion Air chief executive Edward Sirait has acknowledged reports of technical problems with the aircraft, but said maintenance had been carried out "according to procedure" before it was cleared for flight again.

Investigators are looking into why the pilot had asked to return to base shortly after take-off, a request that ground control officials had granted, although the flight crashed soon after.

&nbsp;

Indonesian search and rescue workers believe they have found the fuselage of a Lion Air passenger jet that crashed with 189 people on board, and are also trying to confirm the origin of an underwater "ping" signal, officials said on Wednesday.

Indonesian search and rescue workers believe they have found the fuselage of a Lion Air passenger jet that crashed with 189 people on board, and are also trying to confirm the origin of an underwater "ping" signal, officials said on Wednesday. Ground staff lost touch with flight JT610 of Indonesian budget airline Lion Air 13 minutes after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 took off early on Monday from Jakarta, on its way to the tin-mining town of Pangkal Pinang. There were no survivors. Indonesia's military chief said he believed the plane had been located, and a transport safety official said divers would be sent to confirm the origin of a "ping" signal picked up by a search and rescue team late on Tuesday. "We strongly believe that we have found a part of the fuselage," armed forces chief Hadi Tjahjanto told broadcaster TV One. Speaking on board the navy ship KRI Rigel, navy official Colonel Haris Djoko Nugroho told broadcaster TVOne that a 22-metre long object had been found in waters about 32 metres deep, and a sonar was being used to identify it. Divers would also be sent to check, he said. The Rigel has been searching in an area about 5 nautical miles from the site where the aircraft lost contact. The accident is the first to be reported involving the widely sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's single-aisle jet. The plane's blackboxes, as the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder are known, should help explain why the almost-new jet went down minutes after take-off. Amid media speculation over the airworthiness of the aircraft, the transport minister suspended Lion Air's technical director and several technicians to facilitate the crash investigation. The suspended technicians "issued the recommendations for that flight", the ministry said in a press release. It did not say how many technicians had been suspended. An official of the national transport safety panel has said the plane had technical problems on its previous flight on Sunday, from the city of Denpasar on the resort island of Bali, including an issue over "unreliable airspeed". Privately owned Lion Air, founded in 1999, said the aircraft had been in operation since August and was airworthy. The pilot and co-pilot had 11,000 hours of flying time between them, it said. Lion Air chief executive Edward Sirait has acknowledged reports of technical problems with the aircraft, but said maintenance had been carried out "according to procedure" before it was cleared for flight again. Investigators are looking into why the pilot had asked to return to base shortly after take-off, a request that ground control officials had granted, although the flight crashed soon after.

Indonesian search team may have found Lion Air's fuselage

Nahdlatul Ulama, with 94 million members the world’s largest Sunni Muslim movement, is bent on reforming Islam.

The powerful Indonesian conservative and nationalist group that operates madrassahs or religious seminaries across the archipelago has taken on the ambitious task of reintroducing ijtihad or legal interpretation to Islam as it stands to enhance its political clout with its spiritual leader, Maruf Amin, slated to become vice president as the running mate of incumbent President Joko Widodo in elections scheduled for next April.

In a 40-page document, argued in terms of Islamic law and jurisprudence and scheduled for publication in the coming days, Nahdlatul Ulama’s powerful young adults wing, Gerakan Pemuda Ansor, spells out a framework for what it sees as a humanitarian interpretation of Islam that is tolerant and pluralistic in nature.

The initiative is designed to counter what many in Nahdlatul Ulama, founded in 1926 in opposition to Wahhabism, see as Islam’s foremost challenge; the rise of radical Islam. The group that boasts a two million-strong private militia defines as radical not only militants and jihadists but any expression of political Islam and asserts that it is struggling against the weaponisation of the faith.

While it stands a good chance of impacting Islamic discourse in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation, it is likely to face an uphill battle in making substantial headway beyond Indonesia despite its links to major Muslim organisations in India, the United States and elsewhere. It also could encounter opposition from the group’s more conservative factions.

Amin, the vice-presidential candidate, is widely viewed as a conservative who as issued fatwas against minorities, including one in 2005 denouncing Ahmadis, a sect widely viewed by Muslims as heretics. Violent attacks on Ahmadis by extremists have since escalated with mob killings and the razing to the ground of their homes.

Amin is also believed to have played a key role in last year’s mass protests that brought down Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, aka Ahok, an ethnic Chinese Christian, and led to his sentencing to two years in prison on charges of blasphemy against Islam.&nbsp;

The vice-presidential candidate appears to have since mellowed. In a recent speech in Singapore hosted by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Amin projected himself as an advocate of an Islam that represents a middle way and stands for balance, tolerance, egalitarianism, non-discrimination, consultation, consensus and reform.

Amin’s speech appeared to be not out of sync with the reformist thinking of Ansor.

To achieve its goal, Ansor hopes to win Middle Eastern hearts and minds in a roundabout way by targeting European governments as well as the Trump administration in a bid to generate pressure on Arab regimes to promote a tolerant, pluralistic form of Islam rather than use the faith to garner legitimacy and enhance regional influence.

To further that goal, Yahya Staquf, a diminutive, soft-spoken general secretary of the group’s Supreme Council and a member of Widodo’s presidential advisory council, met in June with US Vice President Mike Pence and Reverend Johnnie Moore.

Moore is an evangelist who in May was appointed by President Donald Trump as a member of the board of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Staquf also paid in June a controversial visit to Israel where he met with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu against the backdrop of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Netanyahu’s office trumpeted the meeting as an indication that “Arab countries and many Muslim countries (are) getting closer to Israel” despite Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians becoming with US backing more hard line. The meeting served to strengthen Nahdlatul Ulama’s relations with Trump’s evangelist, pro-Israel supporters.

While making significant inroads in the West, Nahdlatul Ulama risks being identified with autocrats like United Arab Emirates crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed who strives to depoliticise Islam as a means of ensuring the survival of his regime. It also risks being tainted by its tactical association with Islamophobes and Christian fundamentalists who would project their alliance as Muslim justification of their perception of the evils of Islam.

Nahdlatul Ulama’s association could further bolster the position of evangelists locked into battle with expanding Islam along the 10th parallel, the front line between the two belief systems, with Nigeria and Boko Haram, the West African jihadist group, at its core.

If successful, Nahdlatul Ulama’s strategy could have far-reaching consequences. For many Middle Eastern autocrats, adopting a more tolerant, pluralistic interpretation of Islam would mean allowing far greater social and political freedoms. That would likely lead to a weakening of their grip on power.

Nahdlatul Ulama’s credibility in pushing a tolerant, pluralistic interpretation of Islam rides in part on its willingness to subdue its own demons, first and foremost among which sectarianism manifested in deep-seated prejudice against Muslim sects, including Shiites and Ahmadis. That may be too tall an order in a country in which ultra-conservative Islam remains a social and political force.

As a result, Nahdlatul Ulama’s battlefields are as much at home as they are in the larger Muslim world. Proponents of the reform strategy chose to launch it under the auspices of the group’s young adults wing in an admission that not all of Nahdlatul Ulama’s members may embrace it.

Moreover, the group’s meetings at times coincide with clashes between its militia and Hizb-ut-Tahrir, a banned non-violent organization that seeks to re-establish the caliphate.&nbsp;

The most recent clash occurred last week on the eve of a meeting in Yogyakarta of the Ansor-sponsored Global Unity Forum convened to stop the politicization of Islam. Attendees included Moore as well as Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of the All India Imam Organisation and imams from the United States.

Beyond militants in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama’s foremost rival is Turkey.

It is a battle that is shaped by the need to counter the fallout of a $100 billion, four-decades-long Saudi public diplomacy campaign that enjoyed tacit Western support to anchor ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim Islam in communities across the globe in a bid to dampen the appeal of post-1979 Iranian revolutionary zeal. The campaign created a breeding ground for more militant and violent strands of the faith.

The battle for the soul of Islam finds it most geopolitical expression in the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Turkey as well as Iran. The battle with Turkey has come to a head with the killing earlier this month of journalist Jamal Khashoggi while visiting the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul to certify his divorce papers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drove the point home by exploiting the Khashoggi crisis to advise religious leaders that “Turkey with its cultural wealth, accretion of history and geographical location, has hosted diverse faiths in peace for centuries, and is the only country that can lead the Muslim world.”

If Nahdlatul Ulama couches its position in terms of Islamic law and jurisprudence, Erdogan’s framework is history and geopolitics. “The Turkish president’s foreign policy strategy aims to make Muslims proud again. Under this vision, a reimagined and modernised version of the Ottoman past, the Turks are to lead Muslims to greatness,” said Turkey scholar Soner Cagaptay.

Nahdlatul Ulama’s focus may not be Middle Eastern geopolitics. Nevertheless, its strategy, if successful, would significantly impact the region’s political map. In attempting to do so, the group may find that the odds are humongous, if not insurmountable. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Nahdlatul Ulama, with 94 million members the world’s largest Sunni Muslim movement, is bent on reforming Islam. The powerful Indonesian conservative and nationalist group that operates madrassahs or religious seminaries across the archipelago has taken on the ambitious task of reintroducing ijtihad or legal interpretation to Islam as it stands to enhance its political clout with its spiritual leader, Maruf Amin, slated to become vice president as the running mate of incumbent President Joko Widodo in elections scheduled for next April.

Nahdlatul Ulama, with 94 million members the world’s largest Sunni Muslim movement, is bent on reforming Islam. The powerful Indonesian conservative and nationalist group that operates madrassahs or religious seminaries across the archipelago has taken on the ambitious task of reintroducing ijtihad or legal interpretation to Islam as it stands to enhance its political clout with its spiritual leader, Maruf Amin, slated to become vice president as the running mate of incumbent President Joko Widodo in elections scheduled for next April. In a 40-page document, argued in terms of Islamic law and jurisprudence and scheduled for publication in the coming days, Nahdlatul Ulama’s powerful young adults wing, Gerakan Pemuda Ansor, spells out a framework for what it sees as a humanitarian interpretation of Islam that is tolerant and pluralistic in nature. The initiative is designed to counter what many in Nahdlatul Ulama, founded in 1926 in opposition to Wahhabism, see as Islam’s foremost challenge; the rise of radical Islam. The group that boasts a two million-strong private militia defines as radical not only militants and jihadists but any expression of political Islam and asserts that it is struggling against the weaponisation of the faith. While it stands a good chance of impacting Islamic discourse in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation, it is likely to face an uphill battle in making substantial headway beyond Indonesia despite its links to major Muslim organisations in India, the United States and elsewhere. It also could encounter opposition from the group’s more conservative factions. Amin, the vice-presidential candidate, is widely viewed as a conservative who as issued fatwas against minorities, including one in 2005 denouncing Ahmadis, a sect widely viewed by Muslims as heretics. Violent attacks on Ahmadis by extremists have since escalated with mob killings and the razing to the ground of their homes. Amin is also believed to have played a key role in last year’s mass protests that brought down Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, aka Ahok, an ethnic Chinese Christian, and led to his sentencing to two years in prison on charges of blasphemy against Islam. The vice-presidential candidate appears to have since mellowed. In a recent speech in Singapore hosted by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Amin projected himself as an advocate of an Islam that represents a middle way and stands for balance, tolerance, egalitarianism, non-discrimination, consultation, consensus and reform. Amin’s speech appeared to be not out of sync with the reformist thinking of Ansor. To achieve its goal, Ansor hopes to win Middle Eastern hearts and minds in a roundabout way by targeting European governments as well as the Trump administration in a bid to generate pressure on Arab regimes to promote a tolerant, pluralistic form of Islam rather than use the faith to garner legitimacy and enhance regional influence. To further that goal, Yahya Staquf, a diminutive, soft-spoken general secretary of the group’s Supreme Council and a member of Widodo’s presidential advisory council, met in June with US Vice President Mike Pence and Reverend Johnnie Moore. Moore is an evangelist who in May was appointed by President Donald Trump as a member of the board of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Staquf also paid in June a controversial visit to Israel where he met with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu against the backdrop of Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Netanyahu’s office trumpeted the meeting as an indication that “Arab countries and many Muslim countries (are) getting closer to Israel” despite Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians becoming with US backing more hard line. The meeting served to strengthen Nahdlatul Ulama’s relations with Trump’s evangelist, pro-Israel supporters. While making significant inroads in the West, Nahdlatul Ulama risks being identified with autocrats like United Arab Emirates crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed who strives to depoliticise Islam as a means of ensuring the survival of his regime. It also risks being tainted by its tactical association with Islamophobes and Christian fundamentalists who would project their alliance as Muslim justification of their perception of the evils of Islam. Nahdlatul Ulama’s association could further bolster the position of evangelists locked into battle with expanding Islam along the 10th parallel, the front line between the two belief systems, with Nigeria and Boko Haram, the West African jihadist group, at its core. If successful, Nahdlatul Ulama’s strategy could have far-reaching consequences. For many Middle Eastern autocrats, adopting a more tolerant, pluralistic interpretation of Islam would mean allowing far greater social and political freedoms. That would likely lead to a weakening of their grip on power. Nahdlatul Ulama’s credibility in pushing a tolerant, pluralistic interpretation of Islam rides in part on its willingness to subdue its own demons, first and foremost among which sectarianism manifested in deep-seated prejudice against Muslim sects, including Shiites and Ahmadis. That may be too tall an order in a country in which ultra-conservative Islam remains a social and political force. As a result, Nahdlatul Ulama’s battlefields are as much at home as they are in the larger Muslim world. Proponents of the reform strategy chose to launch it under the auspices of the group’s young adults wing in an admission that not all of Nahdlatul Ulama’s members may embrace it. Moreover, the group’s meetings at times coincide with clashes between its militia and Hizb-ut-Tahrir, a banned non-violent organization that seeks to re-establish the caliphate. The most recent clash occurred last week on the eve of a meeting in Yogyakarta of the Ansor-sponsored Global Unity Forum convened to stop the politicization of Islam. Attendees included Moore as well as Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of the All India Imam Organisation and imams from the United States. Beyond militants in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama’s foremost rival is Turkey. It is a battle that is shaped by the need to counter the fallout of a $100 billion, four-decades-long Saudi public diplomacy campaign that enjoyed tacit Western support to anchor ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim Islam in communities across the globe in a bid to dampen the appeal of post-1979 Iranian revolutionary zeal. The campaign created a breeding ground for more militant and violent strands of the faith. The battle for the soul of Islam finds it most geopolitical expression in the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Turkey as well as Iran. The battle with Turkey has come to a head with the killing earlier this month of journalist Jamal Khashoggi while visiting the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul to certify his divorce papers. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drove the point home by exploiting the Khashoggi crisis to advise religious leaders that “Turkey with its cultural wealth, accretion of history and geographical location, has hosted diverse faiths in peace for centuries, and is the only country that can lead the Muslim world.” If Nahdlatul Ulama couches its position in terms of Islamic law and jurisprudence, Erdogan’s framework is history and geopolitics. “The Turkish president’s foreign policy strategy aims to make Muslims proud again. Under this vision, a reimagined and modernised version of the Ottoman past, the Turks are to lead Muslims to greatness,” said Turkey scholar Soner Cagaptay. Nahdlatul Ulama’s focus may not be Middle Eastern geopolitics. Nevertheless, its strategy, if successful, would significantly impact the region’s political map. In attempting to do so, the group may find that the odds are humongous, if not insurmountable. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Reforming the faith: Indonesia’s battle for the soul of Islam

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